New York Yankees make qualifying offers to three players – MLB Update
New York Yankees have made qualifying offers to Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda and Rafael Soriano on Friday, reports a leading sports website.
Relief pitcher Soriano produced some impressive performances last season. With 42 saves in 46 opportunities, he played a key role in Yankees’ American League East Division winning campaign last year.
The closer who replaced the injured Mariano Rivera in May 2012 is seeking a long term opportunity but the Yankees have offered him a one year deal. However, there is still an outside chance he could accept the offer as the Yankees already owe him $1.5 million
buyout, which would help the closer earn a raise of around $800,000 in the final year of his three year contract with New York. If Soriano decides to sign a contract with any other Major League Baseball team, the Yankees will receive a draft pick.
Outfielder Swisher is likely to reject the offer since he is also looking for a lucrative and long term contract elsewhere. Yankees owe him $13.3 million for the coming season but Swisher is likely to try his luck somewhere else. Swisher had a forgettable
time on the plate in the playoffs. Perhaps, that is why the Yankees do not fancy giving him a salary raise.
Right handed starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda is expected to get a huge salary raise after he produced several match winning performances in his first season with the Yankees. Kuroda has the ability to up his game play in crunch situations. Surely, Manager
Joe Girardi will be looking to retain him to strengthen Yankees’ shaky pitching rotation.
Kuroda enjoyed great success with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the pitcher friendly conditions and he continued his good work with the Yankees in 2012, claiming 16 wins in conditions that were friendlier to the hitters.
Yankees might also make a qualifying offer to Russell Martin, who scored runs on regular basis in 2012 is likely to be offered a one year deal in free agency. Girardi and General Manager Brian Cashman loved what they saw from Martin in 2012 and they do not
have a better catcher in their squad right now.
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