Report: Yankees, Carter agree to 1-year, $3.5M deal
With spring training just around the corner, the New York Yankees have reportedly added some pop to their roster, agreeing Tuesday to a one-year, $3.5-million deal with first baseman Chris Carter, pending a physical, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
Despite smacking a career-high 41 home runs with the Milwaukee Brewers last season, tying Nolan Arenado for the National League lead, Carter - projected to earn roughly $8 million through arbitration in 2017 - was non-tendered in November after Milwaukee was unable to work out a trade for the 30-year-old.
"Chris did a really nice job for us this year," Brewers general manager David Stearns said in November. "He was a really valuable member of our team. I have no doubt that he is going to be a productive Major League player and that he will land on his feet with another organization."
Carter, however, generated little interest on the open market as the offseason unfolded, and his agent, recently fired Arizona Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart, admitted last week he might start entertaining the possibility of playing in Japan in 2017.
"I think at some point we have to make it a serious consideration," Stewart told FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. "It's getting late there, too. Those teams are filling their spaces, too."
The veteran slugger won't be heading to the Pacific Rim anytime soon, though, as Carter is poised to take on a semi-regular role in the Bronx, providing a right-handed complement to first baseman Greg Bird while also serving as insurance to Matt Holliday, who landed a one-year, $13-million contract in December to take over as the Yankees' everyday designated hitter.
Carter, who made his MLB debut in 2010, has launched more home runs over the last four seasons (131) than all but five players, but has managed just a .785 OPS (113 OPS+) over that span due to his strikeout woes. No qualified hitter has struck out more often than Carter (33.2 percent) since 2013, and the California native has led his league in strikeouts in two of the last four seasons.