After losing Robinson Cano, Yankees come to terms with Carlos Beltran
Outbid for Robinson Cano only hours earlier, the New York Yankees on Friday night agreed to terms with veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran on a three-year, $45 million contract, according to baseball sources.
In the same week, that coming approximately two months after missing the playoffs for the second time in 20 years, the Yankees introduced catcher Brian McCann at a news conference in the Bronx, then came to terms with outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda and then Beltran.
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They also came up well short on their All-Star second baseman, Cano, who is expected to sign with the Seattle Mariners for $240 million over 10 years. Instead, the Yankees have spent $299 million to rework their lineup with McCann, Ellsbury and the switch-hitting Beltran, who figures to play right field, along with returning Kuroda to their rotation. They could still add a second baseman, though they signed Kelly Johnson for $3 million this week, as well.
Beltran, 36, hit .296 with 24 home runs and 84 RBI in 2013 for the St. Louis Cardinals, his second season in St. Louis. He then furthered his reputation for being a great postseason player, reaching the World Series for the first time in his career. He is represented by Dan Lozano of MVP Sports Group.
Beltran had considered other teams – the Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks were particularly interested – but the Yankees moved fast after losing Cano. Their retooled batting order could start something like: Ellsbury in center field, Derek Jeter at shortstop, Beltran in right, McCann at catcher, Alfonso Soriano at DH and Mark Teixeira at first.
That could be very productive, and necessarily so. Even with the signing of Kuroda, the Yankees appear to be short a starter or two. They have the time and, as usual, the resources to address the pitching deficit.
