With the deal to acquire Cody Bellinger, the New York Yankees acquired a much-needed left-handed hitter and filled a hole on their roster.
It also took a $27.5 million hit to his annual salary, which owner Hal Steinbrenner wants to keep in check.
How much room do the Yankees have to fill the two big holes at third base and/or second base and first base without exceeding the $301 million luxury tax threshold?
The Yankees have less than $50 million to spend the rest of the offseason to stay within their budget.
With the addition of Bellinger, the Yankees’ 26-player payroll for Opening Day 2025 is projected to be $261,914,047.
More importantly, according to the Cotts contract, their 40-person projected competitive income payroll tax is $283,982,334. That’s the number by which the Yankees’ luxury tax is calculated.
Steinbrenner has made it clear he wants the Yankees to stay under $301 million.
“Look, year after year, year after year, a salary similar to this year and the luxury taxes it creates is not sustainable, it’s not viable, and that’s true for the majority of owners, and probably all owners.
“It doesn’t mean we can’t do what we want to do that year. It means we have the ability to sign the players we want to sign,” Steinbrenner told reporters at the MLB Owners Conference in November. .
Steinbrenner certainly ignored the threshold when he went after Juan Soto, a $765 million free agent, but it’s hard to believe the Yankees looked at what they spent on when they lost their slugger. was obvious.
They made some big, smart moves, signing Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract and trading for Devin Williams, a relatively inexpensive closer.
With question marks remaining for the Yankees’ first and third basemen (or second base if they use Jazz Chisholm there), general manager Brian Cashman has decided to hold them out for the rest of the winter unless they get creative and move. Approximately $42.9 million will have to be spent on some salary.
They would like to move starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, who makes an $18.5 million salary in 2025, but his struggles last year have limited trade opportunities.
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