So last night we reported that the Yankees could still make a serious offer to Jon Lester before everything is said and done, but it looks like New York has still yet to jump into the fray.
I'm told by a source the Yankees are not in on Jon Lester despite buzz to the contrary.
— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) December 9, 2014Word is that the lefty is deciding between four deals, thought to be coming from the Cubs, Giants, Red Sox, and Dodgers, at around six years and $150 million. While many believe the Yankees could make an offer before Lester ultimately makes a decision, nothing seems to be brewing in that direction. It was said that Lester would make his decision either last night or today, but now it's looking like it could take a few more days before he signs. One team is said to be willing to up the total value to $175 million, but all signs point to the 30-year-old picking the place he is most comfortable with, rather than where he can get the most money. That means that if the Yankees do get involved, they're going to have to convince him that New York is right for him, rather than simply outspend the competition.
The idea that the Yankees would not be in on Jon Lester is a bit perplexing. They don't have a single starting pitcher that isn't at least a mild injury concern. Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, and CC Sabathia are their rotation at the moment, unless they're serious about using Adam Warren and David Phelps as starters in 2015. This year the team has a lot of holes that need to be filled, either on the free agent market or via trade, and Lester is a solution that would not require a draft pick. If Lester does end up signing with someone else, expect the Yankees to go hard after Max Scherzer, but as he will take a draft pick and likely an even more expensive deal, especially after Lester signs, he might not be the team's best option.
They have now saved $10 million over the next four years by signing Andrew Miller instead of David Robertson, so it would be nice to see where those savings will go. Some say Chase Headley could be their target, but New York really needs to start addressing their rotation at some point. It's beginning to look like we will have to reserve judgement on this offseason until the very end. If you're starting to question their thinking, you might have a legitimate argument, but it all depends on what they do from here. Are they really going to let Lester go without even trying?