Scott Hairston (Paul J. Bereswill)
OPTIONS RUNNING OUT: With Raul Ibanez (above) signing with the Mariners and Cody Ross (inset) signing with the Diamondbacks, the Yankees prized target may now be Scott Hairston.
There’s at least one 40-year-old the Yankees won’t be resigning.
Raul Ibanez agreed to a one-year deal with the Mariners last night, according to someone with knowledge of the situation, leaving the Yankees with another hole to fill. The deal is believed to be worth $2.75 million with another $1.25 million in incentives.
General manager Brian Cashman had been in discussions with Ibanez and his agents about bringing the left-handed slugger back, but the team’s priorities remained elsewhere — from completing the starting rotation to finding a replacement for the injured Alex Rodriguez at third then acquiring a right-handed hitting outfielder.
The Mariners were known to have strong interest in signing Ibanez for a third time after an inconsistent season with the Yankees that ended with a strong playoff performance.
Ibanez hit .240 with 19 homers and 62 RBIs last year while playing more than he or the Yankees expected due to injuries. Signed to be a designated hitter against right-handed pitching, Ibanez was instead forced to play in the outfield on a regular basis and the added work appeared to take a toll as he struggled for long stretches later in the season.
But he proved his worth in the stretch run and the postseason, including in Game 3 of the ALDS, when he came off the bench and hit a pair of homers.
Cashman must now determine whether to try to find another lefty DH either in free agency or with a trade, unless they hope Eduardo Nunez can do the job full time.
Meanwhile, the team’s pursuit of a right-handed outfielder didn’t get any easier yesterday when Cody Ross signed a three-year deal with the Diamondbacks for a reported $26 million.
Ross had drawn interest from the Mets, but they were only willing to give him two years and not at that price. And although the Yankees were never in on the former Red Sox, now Scott Hairston is the only significant player who fits the bill and both the Yankees and Mets are interested.
Hairston already had plenty of suitors — as the Phillies, Braves and others reportedly also like the 32-year-old after a career year in which he hit 20 homers and had an OPS of .803. He is seeking a multi-year deal and the Yankees would prefer to sign him for just one season.
But the market for right-handed bats in the outfield is a small one and with lefties Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson and Ichiro Suzuki taking up the first three spots, the Yankees need someone to start against lefties.
The Ross signing means the Diamondbacks — like the Angels — have more outfielders than they can use and figure to move at least one.
That could lead the Yankees to look at Jason Kubel as a potential replacement for Ibanez, although that hasn’t happened yet, as a source said yesterday they weren’t closing in on anything.
Kubel was an everyday player in Arizona last season. Not surprisingly, though, he fared much better against right-handed pitching. And because the 30-year-old is only signed through next season for $7.5 million — with an option for 2014 — he would at least fit into the Yankees’ short-term payroll structure.
A trade for the Angels’ Vernon Wells, expendable since Josh Hamilton’s signing with Los Angeles, could be trickier since the Angels would have to pay most of the remaining two years of his contract.
— Additional reporting by George A. King III.