Cliff Lee was offered a seven-year contract from the New York Yankees on Thursday, multiple reports, including Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman, said.
“Yankees have just gone to a 7th year for Cliff Lee,” Heyman tweeted, adding that due to “[Jayson] Werth and [Carl] Crawford getting 7 [year contracts], [it’s] only right. Lee is the best player on market.”
MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reported that the Yankees previously had a six-year, $140 million offer on the table, but that the Bronx Bombers upped the offer to seven years within 24 hours of making the 6-year proposal.
However, financial details of the Yankees’ offer have not been disclosed.
If Lee accepts a seven-year deal at the same rate of the Yankees’ proposed 6-year deal at 23.3 million a year, the southpaw could land the largest contract of any pitcher in baseball history.
The highest-paid pitcher in the game today is the Yankees’ C.C. Sabathia, who is making an average of $23 million per season amid his seven-year, $161 million contract.
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported that the offer to Lee has a lower annual average than the 6-year proposal, however.
New York’s offer comes just hours after the AL East rival Red Sox signed speedster outfield Carl Crawford to a 7-year, $142 million deal, solidifying a Boston offense that could challenge the potent Yankees bats. New York and Boston were 1-2 in runs scored last year, but by a relatively wide margin (859 to 818).
A New York Daily News report earlier this week said that the Washington Nationals could make a play for Lee with their own seven-year deal, but the Yankees and the Rangers, who traded for Lee last season, are the favorites.
“Yankees have just gone to a 7th year for Cliff Lee,” Heyman tweeted, adding that due to “[Jayson] Werth and [Carl] Crawford getting 7 [year contracts], [it’s] only right. Lee is the best player on market.”
MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reported that the Yankees previously had a six-year, $140 million offer on the table, but that the Bronx Bombers upped the offer to seven years within 24 hours of making the 6-year proposal.
However, financial details of the Yankees’ offer have not been disclosed.
If Lee accepts a seven-year deal at the same rate of the Yankees’ proposed 6-year deal at 23.3 million a year, the southpaw could land the largest contract of any pitcher in baseball history.
The highest-paid pitcher in the game today is the Yankees’ C.C. Sabathia, who is making an average of $23 million per season amid his seven-year, $161 million contract.
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported that the offer to Lee has a lower annual average than the 6-year proposal, however.
New York’s offer comes just hours after the AL East rival Red Sox signed speedster outfield Carl Crawford to a 7-year, $142 million deal, solidifying a Boston offense that could challenge the potent Yankees bats. New York and Boston were 1-2 in runs scored last year, but by a relatively wide margin (859 to 818).
A New York Daily News report earlier this week said that the Washington Nationals could make a play for Lee with their own seven-year deal, but the Yankees and the Rangers, who traded for Lee last season, are the favorites.
