Knowing Mariano Rivera had options, the Yankees moved quickly last night to get a two-year deal in place with the best closer in MLB history. The deal could be finalized today.
According to several sources, 41-year-old Rivera had a trio of three-year deals from other teams and opted for one year less to stay a Yankee.
Speaking Friday morning, Brian Cashman would not confirm nor deny an agreement.
“There are a lot of steps in the process, from agreeing to something in principle to getting the physical done,” Cashman said, according to ESPN.com. “Until all those things are covered, I’m not in a position to say.”
The Angels were interested in signing Rivera to a three-year deal. Even though the Red Sox have Jonathan Papelbon and Josh Bard to close games, a source said the Red Sox were interested in Rivera, too.
ESPN.com reports the Red Sox’s offer was the same two years, $30 million Rivera will get from the Yankees. The report says Boston would not have tendered Papelbon had Rivera signed.
Talking to the Associated Press last night, Hank Steinbrenner painted a positive picture of Rivera returning to The Bronx.
“I think you can be pretty confident in Mo,” Steinbrenner said. “We’re looking good.”
Rivera, who often said during the regular season that he was taking it one year at a time, was close to signing the two-year deal for just shy of $30 million. That would be close to the $15 million Rivera made last season.
“He said he wasn’t looking for the most money,” a Rivera confidant said. “But at the end of the year he said he wanted two years and stay a Yankee.”
Unlike Derek Jeter, Rivera had options even if it was unlikely he would have left The Bronx, the only major-league address he has ever had.
Though there was very little chance Rivera would uproot his family from Westchester County to pitch for the Angels, it was even a longer shot that Rivera was going to Boston.
So with the Jeter negotiations making progress and Rivera close to signings, Andy Pettitte, the third member of the “Core Four” who is a free agent is the lone holdout. Jorge Posada is signed for the upcoming season.
Pettitte is deciding if he wants to pitch next year. The popular belief is that he does.
Rivera converted 33 of 38 save chances and has 559 career saves. That is second to Trevor Hoffman’s all-time record of 601. With Hoffman fading and Rivera wanting to pitch two more years, it is almost a lock he will become the all-time saves leader.
Health is an issue for the closer. Rivera battled rib-cage and knee issues this past season. The rib-cage problem surfaced in the 2009 postseason and Rivera underwent shoulder surgery after the 2008 season.
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The Yankees will have an interest in Alfredo Aceves and Dustin Moseley as free agents after not tendering the right-handed pitchers contracts by last night’s deadline. There is no guarantee, however, either will be available.
Aceves, who recently had surgery to repair a fractured left clavicle suffered in a bicycle accident, was a valuable member of the 2009 World Series championship team, but appeared in 10 games last season due to a lower back disc problem that surfaced in early May.
He is not expected to be ready at the beginning of spring training in mid-February. But because he made $436,000 last year and was ineligible for arbitration, the move was somewhat of a surprise.
Moseley appeared in 16 games (nine starts), going 4-4 with a 4.96 ERA.
The Yankees also signed RHP Sergio Mitre to a one-year contract for $900,000.