The New York Yankees have indicated through team owner Hal Steinbrenner that they want to reduce their 2020 team payroll of $240 million to less than the luxury tax threshold of $210 million this season. With Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, J.A. Happ, and DJ LeMahieu off the payroll, that would give the team about $60 million to spend to reach last year’s payroll. But if they wish to stay below the $210 million, it only gives them $30 to $35 million for their needs.
With the announced priority to re-sign DJ LeMahieu, which will probably end up eating up $25 million of that excess, it leaves only $5-10 million.