ST. LOUIS — If CC Sabathia opts out of his Yankees contract following the World Series he won’t have company on the way through the door.
According to Scott Boras, who represents reliever Rafael Soriano, his client isn’t going to exercise the opt out clause in his three-year deal.
“He adjusted to the [seventh- eighth-inning] role, liked being there with Mariano [Rivera] and he adjusted to New York City,” Boras said of Soriano, who pitched much better after returning from an extended stay on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation. “The player is happy there.”
Soriano is scheduled to make $11 million next year and $14 million in 2013. There is a $1.5 million buyout for each year on a deal general manager Brian Cashman was against, believing that was too much for a setup man.
The Yankees news are expected to pick up Nick Swisher’s $10.25 million option for next year. Nevertheless, there is a possibility they will trade the switch-hitter who has been productive during three regular seasons and struggled in all three postseasons.
Boras praised the Yankees for essentially employing two closers in the same bullpen and predicted other teams — Milwaukee used it in the second half of the season — will copy.
“I give the Yankees a lot of credit, they used the platform well,” Boras said. “At first [clubs] will say we are overpaying. Then it’s oh my [gosh], we are winning a lot of games.”
Even Soriano’s injury helped because the Yankees moved David Robertson into the eighth-inning role where he excelled. When Soriano returned on most nights he pitched in front of Robertson.
Before going on the disabled list from the middle of May until the end of June, Soriano’s ERA was a bloated 5.79 ERA and he looked very uncomfortable in the Yankees’ spotlight.
After the elbow inflammation subsided, Soriano’s ERA in the final two months was 3.48 and he fanned 24 batters in 23 1/3 innings.