Yankees Rumors: Hiroki Kuroda, Edwin Jackson and Increased Payroll
The offseason is nearing its end and there are several viable starting pitching options remaining on the open market. By most standards it’s a buyer’s market, but one perennial buyer has remained on the sidelines this winter, the New York Yankees. A source familiar with the Yankees told Marc Craig of the Star Ledger that this could all change later this month, as the team could potentially increase payroll in order to bolster its questionable rotation. The same names continue to be tied to the Yankees; Hiroki Kuroda, Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson.
Craig’s source noted that January can often bring “shifts” in team’s thinking. After the dust of the start of free agency settles, there are often several players to be had at relative bargains.
Entering the offseason, many thought closer Ryan Madson would require a multi-year investment worth tens of millions of dollars. Instead, the Cincinnati Reds inked Madson to a one-year deal that cost them less than $10 million.
The Yankees are hoping something similar happens with the market’s remaining starting pitchers.
At this point, Craig’s source said the Yankees are “near their budget ceiling”. If New York is going to add one of the aforementioned arms, the source said that not only will the players’ asking prices have to drop, but Yankees ownership will have to “authorize extra money for payroll”.
It’s been reported that the Yankees will be reviewing their budget over the next few weeks. New York seems to be more concerned about getting their future payroll below the luxury tax threshold, so if they were able sign a veteran pitcher to an affordable one-year deal they likely would.
That being said, you never know what can happen when it comes to the Yankees.
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