6. CC Sabathia
Once one of the best pitchers in baseball, CC Sabathia has seen his effectiveness steadily decrease since the start of the 2013 season, to the point where he almost ended up outside of the Yankees starting rotation to begin the year.
While he did not pitch all too well in Spring Training, Sabathia is owed $25 Million this season, with a vesting option for another $25 Million based on whether or not his left shoulder is healthy. As Sabathia was the eighth highest paid player in the MLB last year, it is easy to understand why the Yankees would want him to be more than a long reliever.
However, at this point, Sabathia is essentially a highly paid fifth starter. Having battled alcoholism, injuries and an expanding waistline, Sabathia has been below league average, posting a 4.81 ERA since the start of the 2013 season, for an ERA+ of 83. That performance is worst than what Jeremy Guthrie has done in the past three years, while Guthrie made less than half of what Sabathia brought home.
Sabathia’s bloated contract may be a part of why the Yankees were silent in free agency this past offseason, as they may not have had the financial flexibility to add to their team. With $50 Million due through next year, should that option be vested, Sabathia will be quite the drain on the Yankees resources.
Next: The risk of investing in injury prone speedsters