The Yankees have dealt with money issues before, most recently with players like Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira, who under any other circumstances would have been shown the door long before their contracts expired.
In fact, they’re dealing with another one currently with Jacoby Ellsbury and the remaining portion of the $153 million they signed up to pay him. They’ll eventually figure that one out too and, at some point, if there are no other takers, will release him bidding a not so fond adieu to his future endeavors.
But the case of Masahiro Tanaka goes beyond just money.