New York Yankees
Committed payroll for 2016: $182.8 MM
Incumbent outfielders: Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner, Carlos Beltran
As with the Mets, the Yankees are a long-shot to sign Cespedes, but if he wants to stay in the Big Apple, this is the more likely landing spot. The Yankees do not appear to have an immediate need for Cespedes, and it may be on Cespedes and his agency to court the Yankees if he really wants to stay in New York City.
Cespedes does not seem like the type of player who must absolutely stay in a massive market like New York. He embraces the limelight, but it will find a player of his personality wherever he goes. Cespedes has now played for four teams in four years, so he may want some continuity. Changing teams, but staying in the same city could provide a modicum of that.
It’s still unlikely that the Yankees make a deal with Cespedes. If this were 2017, perhaps, but the Yankees still have too much committed financially, and not a big enough need in the outfield.
The Angels let Murphy go already.
yep. article was written yesterday morning before the decision was made. not a surprising decision to pass on murphy.