The New York Yankees are diving headfirst into what'll be a pivotal offseason for the franchise, and there's plenty of rumors to be had both from the trade and free agency markets. Here's the latest news & rumors you need to know:
Yankees still shopping Gardner
New York put Brett Gardner on the trade block at the start of the offseason, but general manager Brian Cashman says the team has not dealt him yet because they have not received an offer they like:
"He’s here not because I can’t move him; he’s here because I’m not comfortable moving him, or haven’t been satisfied in my asks that would make me move him,” says Cashman. “You’re going through the process, and you see if that changes. So far to this point, I’ve said no to a lot of different concepts thrown my way on it."
However, the Yankees are still taking calls. Gardner hit .261 with seven homers and 41 RBIs in 148 games last season.
New York doesn't expect to add starting pitcher
The Yankees have been active on the open market, but with a weak class of starting pitchers, Cashman told George A. King III of the New York Post that the team isn't likely to sign a starter:
“It’s a tough market and the price tags are extremely high," he said. "We could play on a lot of things because we have a lot of prospects people desire and we desire them, too. I would say it’s less likely for us to acquire a starter.”
Yankees focused on Chapman
A reunion between the Yankees and closer Aroldis Chapman appears to have been imminent since the season ended, but other teams - namely the Los Angeles Dodgers - have since entered the mix. However, Chapman is still New York's top target and they plan to offer him an $80 million contract, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports:
Though it isn’t known exactly where the team stands, the New York Yankees remain focused on bringing back closer Aroldis Chapman, with ex-Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen their primary backup plan.
While Chapman is reportedly looking for a six-year deal, the Yankees won’t go that far; they are, however, prepared to give Chapman a deal in the range of five years and $80 million, which would break the record for relievers just set by Mark Melancon, who received a four-year, $62 million deal from the Giants.
Chapman has a slight advantage in terms of value over Jansen, as the former does not have a draft pick hanging over him by virtue of the qualifying offer. Given Melancon’s deal, Chapman could conceivably break the $90 million mark; though he has not demanded a contract of $100 million-plus, such a deal may not be far off.
When Chapman was traded by the Yankees to the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline, he had said he would like to return to the Yankees as a free agent. He had a 1.55 ERA with 36 saves last season.
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