Rafael Soriano, Hiroki Kuroda and Nick Swisher each received qualifying offers from the Yankees yesterday, but not Russell Martin because the team figured the catcher wasn’t worth $13.3 million for next season.
The other three have until Friday to accept the one-year deals. If they sign with another team, the Yankees will receive draft compensation. All free agents can begin negotiating with other teams today.
Swisher, according to sources, will pass and will look for a longer, more lucrative contract that isn’t expected to come from the Yankees. After his repeated struggles in the playoffs, he is likely headed elsewhere.
Soriano will no doubt be in the market for a multi-year contract, as well, but there is an outside chance he could accept. The $13.3 million, added to the $1.5 million buyout the Yankees already owe him following his opt-out, would give the closer a raise of $800,000 from the $14 million he was due originally in the final year of his three-year contract.
With Mariano Rivera considering retirement and teams such as the Tigers in need of a closer, there should be competition for Soriano’s services.
As for Kuroda, the right-hander could consider the qualifying offer, but should be able to do better than a one-year contract, because of his performance in his first season in The Bronx.
After succeeding with the Dodgers in the pitcher-friendly NL West, he was just as valuable in 2012 with the Yankees, winning 16 games in a much tougher environment. He could make his way back to Los Angeles, because the Dodgers have shown a willingness to throw money around after the arrival of new ownership, or he could go back to play in Japan, according to pitching coach Larry Rothschild.
The Yankees, though, would like the effective and durable Kuroda to stay, especially with a starting rotation that is filled with question marks.
Martin was always a long shot to get a qualifying offer, especially after a rough season offensively.
Though the price tag was too high for a player who hit just .211 last year, the Yankees still like Martin and don’t have a candidate to replace him behind the plate. They had discussions with him during the spring about a three-year deal worth roughly $20 million, but those didn’t go far.
During Martin’s atrocious first half, it seemed he had made a costly mistake, but he rebounded with a solid second half and wound up hitting a career-high 21 homers. Coupled with his solid defensive work, he should be in line for at least a two-year deal worth $15 million or perhaps even a contract similar to the one the Yankees talked about before the season.
The 29-year-old Martin is also younger than most available backstops. His agent, Matt Colleran, said he anticipates interest from several teams and has had more talks with the Yankees already — though nothing substantial.
Of course, the Yankees won’t just have their eyes on their own players. For instance, the Angels did not make Torii Hunter a qualifying offer yesterday and there’s a good chance he departs Anaheim. As the outfielder wrote on Twitter when he learned no qualifying offer was coming: “Time to do some scouting.”
No doubt, he won’t be alone.