Yankees spring injuries make further contract extensions murky

The Yankees have been able to assemble a crop of talented players because the majority of them are on their original team-friendly contract. However, that’s beginning to change, and the Yanks are proving to be proactive.

This spring, the Yankees have bucked tradition and locked up two of their own to contract extensions prior to free agency.

In the case of Aaron Hicks, who is coming off a career year, the uber-talented yet often injured outfielder inked a seven-year, $70 million deal.

Replacing his one-year, $6M contract for 2019 with a club-friendly long-term AAV is exceptionally advantageous as long as Hicks can avoid what was recently deemed as “chronic back pain.” 

Severino, the Yanks’ No. 1 starter recently had all three of his arbitration years plus one bought out for $40M. Although Sevy is out of action until at least May following rotator cuff inflammation, at 25, his best years are indeed ahead of him.

The next two contracts that need to be addressed belong to Didi Gregorius and Dellin Betances. However, Gregorius is already out until at least June as he recovers from Tommy John surgery and Betances just hit the injured list with an impingement in his right shoulder.

Therefore, it’s understandable that John Heyman reports the Yanks are currently nowhere near extensions with Didi or Dellin.

"Yankees were trying this spring to extend free agents to be Didi Gregorius and Dellin Betances, but word is they are nowhere close on either. And Dellin’s delayed start logically may delay things further."

While both were integral parts of the Yankees success in 2018, the club is likely to take a reserved approach before the pair enter free agency following this season. Should Gregorius and Betances return with a vengeance as Yankee fans hope, negotiations will likely ramp up.

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C.C. Sabathia and Brett Gardner, respectively, signed one-year contracts this offseason. However, Sabathia has already announced 2019 will be his final big league season — and it’s hard to imagine a place for Gardy on next year’s Bombers, although he has looked surprisingly fresh this spring.

Following the recent enormous contract extensions around baseball, notably Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado and Alex Bregman, it’s only a matter of time until Brian Cashman and company will consider doing the same with Aaron Judge.

Judge, who is still one season away from arbitration, much like Bregman was before his six-year, $100 extension, will likely command something similar to what Mike Trout signed back in 2014 with the Angels.

In his first re-up with the Halos, Trout inked a six-year, $144.5M deal. Naturally, keeping Judge at his current salary of $684.3k this season allows the Yanks to manage their payroll while employing other vital pieces.

However, should the Yankees wait to see what Judge’s first arbitration number looks like in 2020, things could get expensive in a hurry — forcing them to offer the face of the franchise a gigantic payday. And should Judge produce the way he’s capable, all the while avoiding injury, he’ll be worth every penny.