Tuesday 3 December 2013

Jacoby Ellsbury agrees to 7-year, $153 million deal with Yankees

Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and the New York Yankees agreed to a massive seven-year, $153 million contract Tuesday night, capping a wild day that saw a number of trades and the Yankees lock up their
second big prize of the offseason.
Ellsbury's deal is pending a physical that could come Wednesday, a formality for the 30-year-old leadoff hitter who spurned Detroit, Seattle and his former team, the Boston Red Sox, to abscond to the Bronx.
The $153 million includes a buyout for an eighth-year option, a source told Yahoo Sports, and will count as a $21.86 million luxury-tax hit. If exercised, the option would take the deal’s total value to $169 million.
[Also: A flurry of trades, signings and agreements highlight wild day in MLB]
New York isn't done, either. Sources told Yahoo Sports the Yankees will continue to pursue the other pricey outfield client of agent Scott Boras, Shin-Soo Choo, along with the top free agent on the market, second baseman Robinson Cano. The Yankees believe they can sign one or the other, sources said, still have room to pursue a starting pitcher and stay within the $189 million luxury-tax threshold.
Much of that belief, sources said, stems from the likelihood that third baseman Alex Rodriguez will be suspended and open up a significant amount of payroll for next season. Still, it would create another hole, albeit one in a lineup that looks to be massively improved from the disappointing 85-77 season in 2013.
Between the arrival of Ellsbury and free-agent catcher Brian McCann, who signed a five-year, $85 million deal with a sixth-year option, the Yankees have added to a group that will see the return of first baseman Mark Teixeira and shortstop Derek Jeter.





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