Are the New York Yankees tapped out financially? A top MLB insider suggests that despite being one of the wealthiest franchises in baseball the Pinstripes are dead set on not adding any more to their payroll.
For many MLB pundits, the Yankees lucked out by losing the wild bidding war for superstar outfielder Juan Soto. The club reportedly came up just short of the New York Mets winning bid of $765 million. However, following his departure New York spent big in the offseason.
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They handed lefty Max Fried a massive eight-year, $218 million contract. Gave former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt a one-year deal worth $12.5 million. And are paying a good chunk of the $25 million Cody Bellinger is being paid this season. It means that they will be paying $283 million after taxes in 2025. Yet, they still have a hole at third base.
For weeks, rumors have pointed to New York addressing their need at the hot corner with future Hall-of-Famer Nolan Arenado. However, reports have suggested the Yankees want the Cardinals to pick up most of the $21 million he is owed this well. Well, a new report from New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman goes further with the organization’s disinterest in adding more payroll.
- New York Yankees payroll (2025): $283 million
New York Yankees done spending for the rest of 2025?
“Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner pegged their payroll at $307M or $308M. Word is he’s done spending,” Heyman wrote. “Steinbrenner long has said that you should be able to build a winner on $300M (and for years before that it was $200M), and the team does look like the AL favorite from here.”
When it came to the idea of completing a long-rumored trade for Arenado, Heyman simply claimed the New York Yankees were out of money.
“Longtime star third baseman Nolan Arenado is still eminently available. And while word going around was that the Yankees were on his exclusive list of approved trade teams, sources say the Yankees aren’t interested for two reasons: 1) they suspect he’s on the decline, and 2) they have no loot left,” Heyman wrote.
It is surprising to read the Yankees are unwilling to spend on upgrading the roster. But Steinbrenner is a businessman first and foremost. And it is fair to think the $283 million he has invested in this year’s payroll should be enough to win a title in 2025.
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