The big news for Friday is that the Yankees reportedly agreed to terms with infielder DJ LeMahieu in a six-year $ 90 million deal that will bring him back to the Bronx. This is an important name off the board, but it does not prevent the constant flow of rumors about hot stoves. Speaking of which, here’s what’s going on in the MLB for Friday.
Right-handed veteran / two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber recently played for the teams and apparently helped the market for his services with his performance. Given that Kluber is likely to end up signing a one-year “rest” contract that will give him a chance to prove he can stay healthy and get close to his previous level of performance, several teams should be interested. Among these teams is the Yankees:
The Yankees are definitely in need of rotating aid for ace Gerrit Cole. Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and JA Happ are free agents and, of course, there is no guarantee that any of them will return next season. Likewise, the Yankees are prioritizing staying below or within the limit of the luxury tax, and Kluber’s likely modest salary will help in that regard.
Kluber, 34, barely made a shot in his first and probably only season with Rangers because of shoulder problems. In the previous season, a broken forearm limited Kluber to just 35 2/3 ineffective innings with Cleveland. That said, Kluber is not far from shooting at the level of playmaker, and in 2018, he was among the best starting pitchers in baseball.
Blue Jays wants to make some noise after DJ LeMahieu returns to the Yankees
The Blue Jays reportedly went to great lengths to hire LeMahieu, but as mentioned above, he is returning to the Bronx on a six-year contract. This, however, does not mean that they are giving up on adding a real needle mover in this off-season. Here is Jon Morosi’s:
Right-handed and current NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer, receiver JT Realmuto and outfielder George Springer are the biggest free agents on the market, and Blue Jays have legitimate designs on one of them. Each of them will almost certainly require a nine-digit contract, but that apparently did not scare Toronto off.
The Jays are wisely in purchase mode, coming out of a return to contention in 2020. In that abbreviated season, they won with a 0.533 clip and returned to the postseason for the first time since 2016. They feature an impressive youth and front The office looks ready to continue adding useful veterans to the list through a free agency. Considering how many teams are refusing to spend this winter, it is a sensible time for such an approach.