It’s another day and another team-friendly extension has been signed in MLB. Early Friday afternoon, reports emerged that the Yankees were signing righthander Luis Severino to a four-year, $40 million deal with a fifth-year option, thus buying out his arbitration-eligible seasons. The news comes on the heels of the Twins handing out a pair of five-year contracts—to shortstop Jorge Polanco and outfielder Max Kepler—that also wiped out each player’s arbitration years and some free agency. That move followed the Phillies and righty Aaron Nola agreeing to a four-year deal that did the same.
On the surface, there’s nothing all that strange about this rash of deals.