Jon Heyman was the first to report and provide figures for the agreement on a 6 Year/$162 Million deal for the left-handed pitcher!
Breaking Tweets:
Ethan's Thoughts:
I am proud of the Yankees. The Yankees haven't just gone after and gotten one good player this offseason, but they have made a conceited effort to go out and get the guys that they like, that they want, and that they believe will help make this team a winner going forward.
Last offseason, the Yankees biggest contract they gave a free agent was 2-Year/$32 Million for Anthony Rizzo (who opted out). No other deal they made that offseason was for more than $10 Million overall.
In 2021, the biggest contract was 6-Years/$90 Million for DJ LeMahieu. Only Corey Kluber broke the $10 Million threshold (with a 1-Year/$11 Million deal) that year.
In 2020 it was 9-Years/$324 Million for Gerrit Cole. Only Brett Gardner broke the $10 Million threshold (with a 1-Year/$12.5 Million deal) that year.
This year the Yankees have signed 4 players to deals guaranteeing over $10 Million overall. For the first time in a long time, it really feels like the Yankees have been pushed into that mode that they must, and will, spend to win. Aaron Judge just collected $360,000,000. Anthony Rizzo was given $40,000,000. Tommy Kahnle came back for $11,500,000. And now we have Carlos Rodon at $162,000,000.
It will sound crazy to those who don't understand, but the buck cannot stop here. The Yankees have to be willing to continue to build a powerhouse. That's what they did in 2009 by bringing in CC Sabathia AND Mark Texieria AND AJ Burnett AND Andy Pettitte. They also traded for Nick Swisher. They continued to make moves and moves and moves.
The necessary steps from here will be moving on from Josh Donaldson (and his $25 Million salary), Aaron Hicks (and his 3/$30 Million salary), and maybe even Gleyber Torres (and his likely $10 Million salary) while bringing in the right talent to figure out the rest of the team.
Today will be looked at as a good day to be a Yankees fan, regardless of if they win IF they continue to deal. If they don't, it'll be another sign to point to of the team doing just enough to get us interested. If they do continue to fight and deal and sign, then this is the move that really shows a changing of the tide of ownership and I'd owe Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman an apology for doubting them.
I look forward to seeing what comes next! Hey, maybe they'll even take my advice and look at a left fielder on the trade market that I will be addressing all throughout next week!
Paul's Thoughts:
(From the previous article):
YES!
YES!!
YES!!!
The Yankees are baseball's most valuables franchise, worth about seven billion dollars. For years and years and years and years and years and years, I have wanted the Yankees to go all-in and acquire not just some of the talent they need to compete but whatever talent they need to compete. The Yankees just went big and improved the 2022 team in a significant way.
When the Yankees win, they most often have high quality left-handed starting pitching. They just acquired the best left-handed starting pitcher available.
I like this rotation:
Gerrit Cole
Carlos Rodon
Luis Severino
Nestor Cortes
Frankie Montas
This week we were debating, a lot, about which team is better on paper, which team is going all-in, and etc... the Yankees or the Mets. I kept saying the Mets were more all-in than the Yankees, but that the Yankees could change all that. Guess what? They're doing that now.
Great Job Mr. Steinbrenner and Mr. Cashman!
I also shared my hope, for a few years now, that once the Mets starting to compete for the hearts and dollars of New York that the Yankees would have to act in a similar manner. They seem to be doing just that.
The Yankees are playing in the deep-end of the pool. This is what they need to do. And it's great!
The job, though, is not finished. There is more to do. The Yankees need a left-fielder, preferably a left-handed one with some power and high contact skills. I eagerly await the NEXT BIG MOVE.
With the rotation listed about, one (or both of) Clarke Schmidt and Domingo German are now available in a trade. Might one (or both) with a prospect (or two) be able to land the Yankees a top left-handed hitting left fielder?
THIS IS FUN!
Watching the Yankees acquiring top talent is fun .
VERY FUN!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.
