TAMPA – The Yankees are the lone team not to sign a major league free agent this offseason. But they came close.
The Yankees and reliever Tommy Hunter had reached agreement on a two-year contract for what is believed to be between $11.5 million and $12 million, but the Yankees backed out because they were uncomfortable with the results of Hunter’s physical, The Post has learned.
Brian Cashman refused to discuss anything dealing with Hunter. Hunter’s representative, Michael Moye, did not return multiple phone calls or an email and text sent over the past week.
Hunter underwent core surgery twice this offseason, last on Jan. 7.
The Indians signed Hunter last week to a one-year, $2 million contract with $1 million available in games-pitched incentives.
“Prior to signing Tommy, we did a complete physical and we were comfortable moving forward with the agreed-upon terms,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said by phone on Thursday. “We realize [Hunter] is going to be delayed because of the offseason core surgery, but we think he will be back in the first part of the season and impact our team when he returns.”
Hunter likely would have been used in middle relief by the Yankees to be a bridge from the starters to the big late-game trio of Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman. The 29-year-old righty split last season between the Cubs and Orioles, pitching to a 4.18 ERA. He had excelled in Buck Showalter’s Orioles pen in 2013-14, amassing a 2.88 ERA in 128 games.