Papi_swav wrote:What if we look into signing Yadier Molina then trading Sanchez after? Would you guys be down for that? Molina is still a top defender and is a vet, knows how to help pitchers, still can hit and alot better than Sanchez in making contact. thoughts?
Molina would be the type of catcher that I'd be looking to add to pair with Higashioka for sure. The question obviously is how much he can get and whether he wants to leave St. Louis.
Molina had said that this past season was probably going to be his last. That was before Covid hit and now he's said that he want to play at least one more season. So it won't take a long term contract which probably works in the Yankees favor. But what works against the Yankees favor is that the contract that he's coming off of was paying him $20 million a year. While I'd imagine he won't get $20 million it's still probably more than the Yankees can afford (sad ain't it?). I'd say about $14-15 million. That would definitely price the Yankees out if their goal of not hitting the luxury tax is true. Plus the Cardinals, despite being in a relatively small market, has a lot of money from regional broadcast rights so it's not like the Royals or the Pirates where you can outbid them for someone that they like. Molina has been a Cardinal for his entire 16 year career and is one of the faces of their team. I can't see the Cardinals letting him go for his swan song season unless the Yankees go nuts with the contract offer (and we pretty much know the Yankees aren't going to).
More within reason (if they move on from Sanchez) is probably bringing back old friend Austin Romine. Romine was only paid $5 million last season by the Tigers. Figure with covid likely bringing free agent contracts down across the board, maybe at $3-3.5 million. That would make it right about where they would have to pay Sanchez next season. And they are familiar with Romine, know he can play in NY and between him and Higashioka they should be fine sharing the position. Figure Romine would probably start more games which is what he wanted when Sanchez was here.
Or they can look to do what I suggested (he he) and blockbuster Gleyber Torres back to the Cubs for Javier Baez and Wilson Contreras (te he). Contreras looks ready to earn his first Gold Glove at C, is only 27 and owed only $4.5 million. Baez gives them one of the best SS's in the game at a still reasonable (for his caliber of play) contract of $11.5 million. They'll have to worry about resigning Baez after this upcoming season but that's for another time. But it'll give the Yankees a potential GG middle of the field (with Contreras at C, Baez at SS, DJL at 2B and Hicks in CF). According to folks here, it appears that the value of this trade greatly favors the Cubs (due to contract situation) so the Yankees may be able to get a couple nice prospects as well.