New York Yankees: Yankee players may be free agents already?

New York Yankees, DJ LeMahieu
Jun 25, 2019; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu (26) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees are dealing with the coronavirus as all MLB teams are.  No games and a whole basket full of questions with no sure answers.  One of the biggest questions is when will the season start, or will it start at all?  The Yankees have three players that may become free agents at the end of the season unless they are offered new contracts.

If the virus can not be controlled, it is not out of the question that the season could be canceled entirely.   If that happens, the three Yankee players will become free agents without playing a single regular-season game this year.  MLB has made it clear in its deal with players that if the season is canceled, they will receive service time just as if the season had been played.  So James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, and DJ LeMahieu may already be free agents.

DJ LeMahieu:

Of the three, DJ LeMahieu will most definitely be offered a new contract by the New York Yankees front office.  After his performance during the last season, the Yankees would be foolish to do otherwise.  The former Colorado Rockie came to the Yankees with a two-year contract that expires following this season.  Last season he batted .327 with an unexpected 26 home runs.  He played so well that he got the nickname “the machine” because of his ability to get on base.  He led the Yankees with 197 hits while being named fourth in the MVP voting, being an All-Star, and being awarded the Silver Slugger Award.  His defense was next to none.

James Paxton:

Paxton, like LeMahieu, also will be a free agent at the end of the season.  The New York Yankees are not likely to let loose of James Paxton even though he had some rough spots as a Yankee pitcher.  Paxton came to the Yankees from the Seattle Mariners.  To start the season, he was 9-3 in games he started.  Then hit a slide losing all of his July starts.  As August dawned, a new Paxton appear on the rubber.  He won his last eleven games in a row.  In the postseason, he went 2-1 and only gave up one earned run in the game he lost.

Masahiro Tanaka:

Masahiro Tanaka is in the last year of his seven-year contract.  He, like the other two, may become a free agent at the end of the season.  The question as to what to do with Tanaka is less clear compared to the others.  Tanaka is now 31 and will be 32 at the start of the next season.  This year was not a good year for him, he went 11-9 with a forgettable 4.45 ERA.  He gave up 28 home runs and seemed to tire, and struggle even in most of his wins.  He did pitch amazingly in a couple of his starts, but that was the exception.  In his career with the Yankees, he is 75-43  which is quite good, but if the Yankees extend him, it may only be on a year to year basis much as for the aging Brett Gardner.

Should the Yankees offer contract extensions?

While the coronavirus is distracting us from baseball, as usual, the New York Yankees have some big decisions this season.  The question is when to make those decisions.  Should they offer contract extensions for Paxton and LeMahieu, the answer is yes, and sooner than later, to relieve them from that question.

Although it would seem that the Yankees would offer extensions to Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, that decision is clouded by their injury history.  If contract extensions are given to them it won’t be until after the season, if at all.  You can also be sure that any contract extension for the two will not be long term extensions.  The Yankee have been burnt before and are not looking to repeat.