The New York Yankees are ready to shell out for some of the best relievers on the market.
New York has reportedly made contract offers to free-agent closers Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
It remains to be seen which of the two All-Star stoppers the team would prefer to land in the event they have to choose only one, but they each have their benefits and drawbacks.
In the case of Chapman, the fact that he spent the first half of 2016 in pinstripes before getting dealt to the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline is something that likely appeals to the Yankees; as well, he wouldn’t cost the team a draft pick. Chapman’s contract demands are steep, however, as he’s asking for a six-year deal.
Jansen, the reigning National League Reliever of the Year, might not cost as much money as Chapman, but signing him would force the Yankees to surrender their first-round pick to the Los Angeles Dodgers as compensation. The Yankees are trending towards fielding a younger team in 2017, and that’s why giving up that draft pick doesn’t appear to appeal to general manager Brian Cashman.
“Our preference is to retain the pick if possible,” Cashman told reporters on Monday, according to Hoch. “Doesn’t mean it’s going to play out that way, but that’s our preference.”
Whichever pitcher ends up in New York would likely form the back end of a formidable late-inning tandem with incumbent closer Dellin Betances, who assumed the role for the last two months of 2016 after Chapman and Andrew Miller were traded.
