Cuban slugger Yasmani Tomas is expected to sign with an MLB team after holding a September showcase in the Dominican Republic, but the Yankees are unlikely to sign the outfielder this offseason. According to George King of the New York Post, industry sources say the Yankees don't appear to have serious interest in the Cuban defector, viewing him as similar to Rusney Castillo who signed with the Red Sox for seven years and $72.5 million. New York was not willing to give Castillo that kind of money, making it very likely they won't want to dish out even more for Tomas, who is said to be seeking a deal worth $100 million.
Beyond the financial reasons for passing on Tomas, the Yankees also hope that Carlos Beltran will be able to return to right field after undergoing surgery to clean up his elbow. Having Beltran back in the outfield would allow the Yankees to use Alex Rodriguez at DH in what seems like an inevitable necessity. With Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Brett Gardner taking up outfield spots, there would be no room for Tomas.
High dollar contracts for Cuban defectors are only going up with Castillo's deal topping Jose Abreu's $68 million that topped Yasiel Puig's $42 million that topped Yoenis Cespedes' $32 million. Tomas is almost certainly going to be a further extension of that if he receives anything close to the $100 million rumored price tag. The Yankees have bigger pressing concerns to take care of for next year, making passing an easier decision on paper. Do you think they should take a chance on Tomas despite the cost, or should they avoid paying the high price now that they have missed out on one of the other defectors at a more reasonable cost?