No matter the voice, the song remains the same: the Yankees aren’t chasing Max Scherzer.
“We are out there looking but it has to be tempered by the reality of the organization. Looking at our pitching staff for example we have two guys with a lot of money and we have to build around that,’’ club president Randy Levine said Thursday during a New York City FC/YES press conference in Midtown.
“The chances of us bringing in a guy for six [years] and $25 million or over in my opinion is virtually none. At the end of the day you have to be realistic in any organization.’’
Not wanting to break MLB’s rule which prohibits teams talking directly about free agents, Levine didn’t address Scherzer by name, but it’s clear the right-handed starter will sign for more than fellow free agent James Shields. Some projections have Scherzer getting six to seven years in the $200 million neighborhood.
While Shields, 32, won’t command that type of deal, industry insiders believe he could get five years between $16 million and $18 million per year. That is below Scherzer but quite possibly still beyond the Yankees’ budget.
Levine believes the Yankees’ Opening Day payroll will be second to the Dodgers. Currently, the Yankees have $196 million committed to 14 players. Levine also reminded everybody the Yankees are always trying to upgrade the club, something they believe they have done with the re-signing of Chase Headley and the trade for Didi Gregorius on the left side of the infield.
“The Steinbrenner tradition is if there is a way to make the team better, Cash is out there trying to make the team better,’’ Levine said of general manager Brian Cashman, who has been vocal about Scherzer, who turns 31 in July, not landing in The Bronx.
The biggest area of need is a starting rotation dominated by questions.
CC Sabathia, who has two years and $48 million remaining and a vesting option for $25 million for 2017 if he doesn’t end the 2016 season on the disabled list with a left shoulder problem, is coming off major right knee surgery that limited him to eight games last year when he went 3-4 with a 5.28. He will be 35 in July.
Masahiro Tanaka made two September starts after being shut down in early July with a small ligament tear in the right elbow. He has six years and $133 million remaining.
Ivan Nova had Tommy John surgery and a June return would be considered a plus.
Hiroki Kuroda, the team’s most consistent starter last season, hasn’t informed the Yankees whether he wants to pitch for them, retire or hurl in Japan.
Until he proves otherwise there always will be questions about Michael Pineda’s intelligence and durability.
Chris Capuano is strictly a back-of-the-rotation arm.
The other three rotation candidates are David Phelps, Adam Warren and Bryan Mitchell.
Asked about how Alex Rodriguez’s re-entry into the Yankees’ universe will go after he missed all of last season because of his Biogenesis suspension, Levine took a wait-and-see approach.
“Get to spring training and see what happens, everything else is speculation,’’ Levine said of Rodriguez, who hasn’t spoken to Cashman or Levine about their plans for him to DH since the Yankees signed Headley to play third base, Rodriguez’s position for all 10 years as a Yankee.
Asked if it was possible for Derek Jeter to eventually own a piece of the Yankees, Levine said the retired shortstop doesn’t need guidance from him. Jeter hasn’t been shy about wanting to someday to own a club.
“Derek Jeter has never talked to us about that,’’ Levine said. “I would never give Derek Jeter career advice. He is pretty smart. Everything in his life he figures out and does the right way.’’