Yankees sign Neil Walker to 1-year deal
Neil Walker is on his way back to New York City, only this time it's to play in Yankee pinstripes.
The second baseman signed a one-year deal with the Yankees, the team announced Monday.
Walker will earn a base salary of $4 million, and the deal also contains incentives based on at-bats, according to Peter Botte of the New York Daily News.
Full deal for Neil Walker: $4M base salary, plus $125K for 425, 450, 475 and 500 plate appearances.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 12, 2018
He'll almost assuredly become the team's starting second baseman, adding a veteran presence to a club that traded Starlin Castro to the Miami Marlins in December.
"I'm happy to be on a contending team," Walker said after arriving at Yankees camp, according to Marc Carig of The Athletic.
Walker's signing might also mean Yankees top prospect Gleyber Torres could be out of the running for a big-league job.
"I don't control that," Torres told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "I control playing my game every day and making progress every day, staying humble and trying to help my team. I don't know what happens right now if he signs."
The 32-year-old Walker appeared to be close to a deal with the Yankees earlier this offseason before they traded for infielder Brandon Drury, but it now appears like Drury could be destined for third base.
"I thought that was a really good fit, especially playing in New York with the Mets for the time that I did, understanding what you're getting into when you're getting into a New York market with the media and so forth," Walker said, according to the New York Post.
"We don't know if it was a money thing, but we thought we were fairly close until they made the trade. Whatever it was, they decided to hang on to money for midseason and felt like making a trade was more valuable."
Walker appeared in 111 games for the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers last season, hitting .265/.362/.439 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs while producing 2.1 fWAR. He was also productive the season prior as a member of the Mets, hitting 23 home runs in 113 games alongside an .823 OPS.
To make room for Walker on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated outfielder Jake Cave for assignment.