With the Winter Meetings happening in person for the first time since 2019, Major League Baseball’s executives got going right away on Monday.
Justin Verlander jumped to the Mets on a two-year, $86 million deal, marking two years in a row that the Mets lured a future Hall of Fame pitcher on the strength of Steve Cohen’s money. The Yankees, meanwhile, made their only news of the day on the front office side when they announced that Brian Cashman signed a four-year deal to return as the club’s general manager and senior vice president.
Day one of the Winter Meetings in San Diego showed that things are moving fast and furious, and the Yankees are connected — either from past employment or speculation about future ones — with several of the most coveted players. Their offer to Aaron Judge is reportedly in the eight-year, $300 million range, which may have to go up now that Trea Turner signed with Philadelphia for $300 million, though that money is spread over 11 years and Judge will command a higher average annual value than Turner’s $27.3 million.
