Hal Steinbrenner not wanting to add significant dollars to an already bloated Yankees payroll means free-agent starters Wei-Yin Chen and Jeff Samardzija likely aren’t landing in The Bronx.
And because GM Brian Cashman remains adamant about keeping prospects Aaron Judge, Luis Severino and Gary Sanchez, don’t expect the Yankees to be serious players in the Shelby Miller trade talks.
The rebuilding Braves are talking to clubs about the 25-year-old right-hander, but according to a person with knowledge of the situation, the Braves don’t believe there is a fit with the Yankees following a brief discussion last month between the clubs that wasn’t about Miller.
“The Braves talked to the Yankees before they moved [Andrelton] Simmons,’’ the person said of the slick-fielding 26-year-old shortstop who was dealt to the Angels for two pitching prospects and shortstop Erick Aybar last month. “It wasn’t a good fit then, and it remains that way if the Yankees aren’t going to include some of those prospects.’’
Cashman held onto that trio and shortstop prospect Jorge Mateo at July’s trade deadline. The GM refused to part with Judge — a power-hitting right fielder who posted a .866 OPS for Double-A Trenton in 63 games, but struggled with74 strikeouts and 51 hits in 61 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season — for Phillies lefty Cole Hamels, who was dealt to the Rangers.
Miller, who was an NL All-Star last year despite a 6-17 record for the putrid Braves thanks to a 3.02 ERA, is exactly what the Yankees could use to pitch high in their rotation, in which five of their six current starters have health issues. However, it appears Miller will land with the Cubs or Diamondbacks if dealt.
At the beginning of the free-agent process, clubs believed they could get Samardzija on a short deal and afford him the chance to bounce back from a miserable 2015 season for the White Sox in which he went 11-13 with a 4.96 ERA and led the majors in hits allowed (228), earned runs (118) and homers (29).
Now, in the wake of Jordan Zimmerman signing with the Tigers for five years and $110 million and David Price getting seven seasons for $217 million from the Red Sox, the right-handed Samardzija could be in line for a four- or five-year deal. He turns 31 in January.
Chen, 46-32 with a 3.72 ERA in four big league seasons with the Orioles, will benefit from Price’s deal and likely wait to see Zack Greinke’s contract figures — it could surpass $200 million — before signing. He turns 31 in July.
Since Samardzija and Chen each rejected the $15.8 million qualifying offer, the team they sign with will forfeit a top pick in June’s draft.