Report: Yankees interested in Darvish despite tax concerns
The New York Yankees like Yu Darvish - but apparently only on their terms.
Sources told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that the Yankees have interest in the free-agent right-hander despite his high salary demands and the team's quest to remain below the luxury tax threshold in 2018.
Darvish is reportedly asking for an annual salary between $20 million and $25 million, according to Rosenthal - numbers that would be high for the Yankees given their wishes surrounding the luxury tax. To that end, an unnamed executive from another team that's also chasing the 31-year-old All-Star told George A. King III of the New York Post on Wednesday that the Bronx Bombers "are sniffing around (Darvish) in case the price drops."
If Darvish were to somehow join his Japanese compatriot Masahiro Tanaka in pinstripes, it would likely only be thanks to some rather tricky maneuvering by general manager Brian Cashman. Any Darvish-Yankees union would almost certainly involve outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury - now an expensive bench piece thanks to the presence of Giancarlo Stanton - and his large salary being traded elsewhere in a separate transaction.
Moving Ellsbury is proving difficult, however, as it's already been said that he's "unlikely" to waive his no-trade clause and leave New York. However, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported Thursday that Ellsbury might be willing to waive it and facilitate a trade to a "select few teams," the identities of which aren't known.
The Yankees presently sit approximately $16 million below the $197-million luxury tax threshold, per Cot's Contracts. Remaining below that threshold would allow them to reset their penalties for exceeding the tax in time for next winter's mega-class of free agents that could include Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, among others.
New York re-signed CC Sabathia earlier this month and has continued to be connected with several other starting pitchers this winter, including free agent Alex Cobb and trade targets such as Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole and Arizona's Patrick Corbin.
Darvish has already met with the Chicago Cubs, while the Minnesota Twins have stated that signing him is their "priority." The Houston Astros have also reportedly met with him.