In a pairing that has seemed inevitable for a couple weeks, lefty ace Carlos Rodon is reportedly headed to the New York Yankees. It was just a matter of getting them to offer as much as possible, I suspect.
The deal is not close to what Rodon was reportedly seeking (7+ years, $200+ million), but it seems not EVERY top free agent is getting a contract nobody saw coming:
Don’t get me wrong, $162 million guaranteed to Rodon is a very healthy amount for a guy who hasn’t always been healthy, but a $27 million AAV for a guy who has looked like a true ace the last two years is a drop in the bucket for the Yankees. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that they PREFERRED to go six years (instead of four or five) so that they could push down the AAV.
I’m annoyed the Cubs opted not to play in this end of the pool this offseason with some impact starting pitchers available, but I made peace with it weeks ago. How often do you get the chance to land a number one starter in free agency? How much risk should you be willing to absorb for that chance? Teams like the Yankees, the Mets, and the Rangers were plenty willing this offseason. The Cubs were not.