When Brian Cashman mentioned the Yankees’ choice to increase the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying provide to Trent Grisham final week, the overall supervisor stated he was “comfortable” with the transfer. Now that Grisham has accepted the dear provide, the query is how snug Hal Steinbrenner can be with one other $300 million payroll.
With Grisham accepting the qualifying provide, Ryan Yarbrough agreeing to a one-year deal that can assure him $2.5 million, and Tim Hill having a $3 million membership choice exercised, the Yankees’ projected aggressive steadiness tax payroll for 2026 is already at $281 million, based on Cot’s Contracts. The second-highest threshold for aggressive steadiness tax penalties is $284 million in 2026, whereas the best threshold is $304 million.
In the meantime, the Yankees are nonetheless prioritizing a reunion with free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, who has a vibrant market and will earn 9 figures after a stellar first season within the Bronx. They may additionally use a frontline starter – they’ve expressed curiosity in coveted Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai, who was formally posted on Tuesday – bullpen assist and a platoon bat or two.
Steinbrenner, in the meantime, has referred to as $300 million payrolls “unsustainable” regardless of exceeding that determine every of the final two seasons. Given the state of the Yankees’ roster and their wants, staying beneath that quantity will likely be a tall activity if the group desires to enhance after being bounced within the ALDS final month.
When requested if he’s been informed to maintain the payroll beneath $300 million, Cashman stated the Yankees have a “fluid” price range and that Steinbrenner, anticipated to speak to reporters someday subsequent week, hasn’t given him an “ultimate” quantity.
“Out of all the things that we have here with the organization, payroll usually is not an issue that we’ve had to deal with much of,” Cashman added.
The Yankees might shed some payroll later this week, as Friday is the tender deadline. The Yankees have a number of non-tender candidates in Mark Leiter Jr., Jake Cousins, Scott Effross and Ian Hamilton. Nevertheless, solely Leiter is projected to earn over $1 million in arbitration.
MLB Commerce Rumors predicts Leiter, coming off a tough 2025 season, will get $3 million. Hamilton, demoted this previous season, is projected to earn $941,000, whereas Cousins, recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure, is listed at $841,000. Effross, who has battled a number of accidents over the previous couple of years, is projected to earn $800,000 in arbitration.
The Yankees might tackle a few of their wants by buying and selling younger gamers comparable to Jasson Domínguez, Spencer Jones, Will Warren and Luis Gil, however parting with these gamers gained’t clear vital wage and would probably convey again gamers who’re incomes more cash.
Grisham will be traded, however he figures to be the Yankees’ beginning middle fielder once more and must consent to any deal earlier than June 15 as an acceptor of the qualifying provide.
Chapman to DET
Travis Chapman has discovered a brand new job and group after spending the final 4 seasons on the Yankees’ huge league teaching workers.
The 47-year-old is becoming a member of the Tigers as their new minor league discipline coordinator, based on the New York Put up’s Joel Sherman. Chapman spent spring coaching with Detroit in 2003 as a Rule 5 Draft decide however was returned to the Phillies, who gave him his solely main league at-bat later that yr.
The Yankees determined to let Chapman go when his contract expired earlier this offseason. He had most not too long ago been the membership’s main league first base and infield coach following quite a few minor league gigs over the course of 13 seasons within the group.
The Yankees promoted Dan Fiorito to take over Chapman’s roles on Aaron Boone’s workers.
