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Yankees: 3 burdensome contracts that will affect 2022 season

By Thomas Carannante |
BOSTON, MA - JULY 25: Zack Britton #53 of the New York Yankees (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JULY 25: Zack Britton #53 of the New York Yankees (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
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Aaron Hicks #31 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Aaron Hicks #31 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

While the New York Yankees reset the luxury tax and won’t be gun shy about exceeding the threshold in 2022 in fear of an increasing penalty, that doesn’t mean they won’t be held back in some manner from a financial perspective.

After all, this team has nearly $218 million committed to next year’s payroll assuming all arbitration-eligible players are paid and all contract options are picked up.

General manager Brian Cashman will obviously make adjustments when needed, whether it’s cutting guys loose or making trades, so that number won’t be set in stone when looking at the overall payroll picture.

What he can’t do, however, is rid the team of its more costly contracts that will no doubt restrict the Yankees in some way.

Or maybe he can! But that means he’ll have to attach a prospect or two in order to make it happen, and we’d venture to say many fans wouldn’t prefer that … seeing as the best way to use your prospect capital is to turn it into more, established talent rather than a means to save money.

What’s particularly upsetting is that, once upon a time, some of these contracts looked like they’d be helping out the Bombers for years to come. Instead, they’re either a waste or well on their way to being a waste.

These three burdensome contracts will affect the Yankees in 2022.

3. Aaron Hicks

No, this was not one of the deals that seemed promising at the time. Hicks, who played in more than 123 games in a season just ONCE before 2019, landed a seven-year, $70 million extension from the Yankees after his career-best in 2018.

What was puzzling about this? The Yankees famously do not hand out contract extensions, especially to second- or third-tier players before they hit free agency … but somehow Hicks cashed in on this lengthy of a deal? With his well-documented injury history and lack of availability in his first six MLB seasons?

Now, the Yankees will be paying dearly for this. Hicks has played in just 145 out of a possible 384 games since putting pen to paper and is now tied to the team through the 2025 season (when he’ll be 35 years old!)

His salaries the next four years will be $10.79 million, $10.79 million, $9.79 million and $9.79 million. We’re not sure what team would take that unless the Yankees eat a significant portion or attach a top prospect. Hicks will likely be eating up a roster spot as an outfielder who probably won’t be able to effectively hold down duties in center with his declining mobility and arm strength.

DJ LeMahieu #26 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
DJ LeMahieu #26 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /

2. DJ LeMahieu

It was a year ago that fans were demanding the Yankees give DJ LeMahieu a blank check. You couldn’t really argue it, either, unless you were looking at some wild advanced stats that hardly told the whole story about LeMahieu’s effectiveness.

He was the team MVP in 2019 and 2020. The Bombers don’t win the division in 2019 without him nor do they make the 2020 playoffs without him. Assuming Gleyber Torres made a seamless transition to shortstop, paying DJLM wouldn’t really be a hassle. Put the veteran at second base and you have your middle infield for the next three years.

Except, Torres is no longer a shortstop and will be playing second base from this point forward. That displaces LeMahieu, who is now making $15 million per season, experienced an unforeseen regression that we hope was the result of a nagging sports hernia issue, and has no full-time position.

Are the Yankees really about to put LeMahieu at a secondary position for the remainder of his six-year contract? He was supposed to be the second baseman who can fill in at first and third when needed … not a first and third baseman who can fill in at second when needed.

As for trade value, he’s in the same boat as Hicks. Completely untradeable unless the Yankees eat a ton of salary or part with younger talent. Here’s to hoping LeMahieu bounces back and becomes one of the team’s best players again, or else this is going to be really, really bad.

In the interim, though, he will hold the team back in some sense since he currently has no position and is coming off a below-average offensive season.

Zack Britton #53 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Zack Britton #53 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

1. Zack Britton

Nothing like paying someone $14 million who won’t see the field in 2022, right?! If we look at these salaries collectively, that’s $40 million for below-average or non-existent production. Tough scene.

Zack Britton will miss all of next year after undergoing Tommy John surgery recently, which was a feared scenario last offseason when he required another procedure to remove a bone chip from his elbow. Britton’s 2021 was plagued due to a COVID diagnosis, that first elbow surgery, a hamstring issue, and then his second elbow problem.

What makes matters worse is that the Yankees had to make a big decision after the shortened 2020 regarding Britton’s future. Had the team not exercised Britton’s option for 2022 last offseason, he would’ve been able to opt for free agency ahead of the 2021 campaign. What were they going to do? Aside from disappointing playoff appearances, Britton had a 1.91 ERA during the regular season in 2019 and a 1.89 mark in 20 games in 2020.

As a guy who could pitch the seventh, eighth or ninth innings, opting into Britton’s remaining two years and $27 million seemed like a no-brainer … but wouldn’t it have been great if we had a full 2020 rather than a 20-game sample?

Alas, Britton’s salary will be counted against the tax and it’ll make the Yankees think twice about spending big on bullpen arms. Now, they’ll have to rely on cheaper, less experienced options and will look to reset their spending on relievers when both Britton and Chapman come off the books after 2022.

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