Steinbrenner: Yanks 'believe they have something to prove'
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TAMPA, Fla. -- Hal Steinbrenner strode with purpose across the infield grass at George M. Steinbrenner Field, his sights locked upon the bounty from the most significant trade in the franchise’s recent memory. The Yankees' managing general partner clapped a hand across Juan Soto’s broad shoulder, expressing hope for a winning partnership, this year and beyond.
Steinbrenner has spent the past several days surveying the scene at the Spring Training complex bearing his late father’s name, sensing that his 2024 Yankees are on a mission after being “embarrassed” by last year’s fourth-place finish in the American League East.
“I’m excited,” Steinbrenner said. “I think these guys really believe they have something to prove, and they're ready to do it. We had a large number of guys the entire month of January over at the Himes [Minor League] complex voluntarily working out, getting in shape, ramping it up -- more so than I ever remember. I don't think it's a coincidence. I think they're really ready to go."
Here are five main takeaways after Steinbrenner spoke with the media Thursday:
More moves to come?
Though Steinbrenner said no moves are close and declined to speak specifically about free-agent left-hander Blake Snell, he promised that general manager Brian Cashman continues to seek potential additions to what Steinbrenner believes is already “a championship-caliber club.
“I don’t think you can have enough pitching, whether it’s bullpen or starter,” Steinbrenner said.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has reported that the Yankees have an offer on the table for Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner. Steinbrenner noted that because New York has already exceeded the top luxury tax threshold of $297 million, any addition would “be a costly one,” taxed at 110 percent.
“But I’m still willing to consider anything that comes my way,” Steinbrenner said. “We are not done trying to improve this team.”
Will Soto stay?
Steinbrenner said he approved the December trade for Soto because the 25-year-old outfielder is “a generational player” whose skill set made it impossible to say no, “even if it is for one year. Hopefully it’s not.” Cashman has said that he expects no extension talks with agent Scott Boras, and that Soto will test free agency after the season.
“He’s a very intelligent young man, obviously very motivated and very successful already,” Steinbrenner said of Soto. “He’s already a world champion and already just went right into the clubhouse and fit right in. So I think he’s going to be great. Seeing him and [Aaron] Judge and [Giancarlo] Stanton 2-3-4, whatever the order in the lineup, it’s going to be pretty special.”
A new highest-paid player?
Considering Soto turned down a 15-year, $440 million extension from the Nationals in 2022, it is no leap to think that his next contract will exceed that number. If the Yankees are to keep Soto, it’s generally accepted that their offer would need to surpass the $40 million average annual value of Judge’s current deal.
“I guess that’s an interesting question, but not one that I’ve thought about,” Steinbrenner said. “I’m not sure Judge would care [about not being the highest-paid Yankee] if we got Juan Soto for many years to come. But the market is what the market is, and he’s going to cost what he costs.”
Holding onto youth
Because the Yankees parted with a significant amount of prospect capital in their trades for Soto and outfielder Alex Verdugo, Steinbrenner said that he has little appetite to part with top prospects in order to upgrade the 2024 roster.
“We’ve already given up some very good prospects and a Major Leaguer in [Michael] King this year,” Steinbrenner said. “I’m going to be hesitant to give up guys like [Will] Warren and [Chase] Hampton and Spencer Jones.”
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Yamamoto revisited
The Yankees’ offseason plan had one more piece, but Steinbrenner said that he would not second-guess New York's $300 million offer to Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who instead agreed to a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers.
Steinbrenner said that “for a player that’s never played in the Major Leagues before, that’s a lot of money. And sooner or later, you have to have a limit.”
“I felt it was important to the fan base and to our chances this year to really make a run and try to get him,” Steinbrenner said. “At $300 million, I just felt -- right or wrong -- that the bidding was going to continue. $300 million was a very good offer, and I think a lot of our fans agreed with it.”