Global EditionASIA 中文双语Français
Sports
Home / Sports / Stars

Cashman wants to see Sabathia, Happ back in pinstripes

China Daily | Updated: 2018-11-07 10:13
Share
Share - WeChat
CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees pitches in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Sept 15, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. [Photo/VCG]

CARLSBAD, California - Brian Cashman wants to bring CC Sabathia back for an 11th season with the New York Yankees, and he's also holding out some hope of re-signing JA Happ.

Eight days after the Boston Red Sox won their fourth World Series in 15 seasons-compared to one in that span for New York-Cashman arrived at the annual meeting for general managers with his search for new pitchers topping his agenda.

"The Red Sox winning doesn't change the hunger level of trying to deliver a championship sooner than later for our fans," the Yankees GM said on Monday.

"I think the hunger and the effort, the passion's there, despite the horrible outcome that took place in the World Series this year."

After paying luxury tax for 15 straight years, a total of $341 million, the Yankees dropped below the threshold for the first time in 2018, when Boston took over as baseball's biggest spender for the first time since records began in the free-agent era.

Cashman is a man with money to spend this offseason.

"Yeah, we got under the tax, but we're one of the higher payrolls in the game, as you would expect-and as it should be," he said.

Cashman made his first move last week, re-signing 35-year-old outfielder Brett Gardner to a $7.5 million, one-year deal after declining his $12.5 million option and paying a $2 million buyout.

New York finished with a rotation of right-handers Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka and Lance Lynn along with left-handers Sabathia and Happ.

Only Severino and Tanaka are due back, and Cashman is expected to pursue a group of free-agent pitchers that includes left-handers Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel.

Sabathia took a cut in salary from $25 million in 2017 to $10 million this year and went 9-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts-missing a $500,000 bonus by two innings when he was ejected in his last regular-season start for hitting Tampa Bay's Jesus Sucre after Rays pitcher Andrew Kittredge threw up-and-in to Austin Romine.

Sabathia had surgery on his right knee last month.

"He's been a great Yankee, and he has time on the clock still," Cashman said. "I think he'd like to stay, and I think we'd like to keep him."

Happ, 36, was 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 starts after the Yankees acquired him from Toronto, but he lost at Boston in the Division Series opener.

"I would think that there'll be a lot of interest in him," Cashman said.

"He has a great reputation throughout the game, and the performance level was exactly what we needed. He put himself in a good position as a free agent."

Cashman already is deep in talks to trade Sonny Gray, just 15-16 since New York acquired him from Oakland in July 2017.

Gray, a right-hander who turns 29 this week, was unhappy with the harsh treatment he was given by demanding Yankees fans.

"The game's evolved to the point where people can see what the real numbers are behind the numbers and the recognition that whoever winds up acquiring Sonny is getting someone that's going to be the player, the pitcher he was more with Oakland," Cashman said.

"And so we're very active in those discussions. We're in name exchanges. It will lead us eventually to a conclusion."

AP

Most Popular

Highlights

What's Hot
Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US