So much for Omar Infante replacing Robinson Cano.
Infante, the free agent second baseman, reached a four-year deal, $30-million deal with the Royals on Friday, a source confirmed.
Cano’s signing with Seattle leaves a huge hole in the middle of the Yankees lineup, one that would have been slightly offset by Infante, who had a career-high .795 OPS last season with the Tigers last year.
The Yankees had made Infante a three-year offer for $24 million, but were told the 31-year-old was looking for four years and $40 million.
With the goal of avoiding the $189 million payroll luxury tax next season still in mind, the Yankees were unwilling to go that high. They turned down the Reds’ offer of second baseman Brandon Phillips for Brett Gardner during the winter meetings.
As for the payroll, team owner Hal Steinbrenner hasn’t ruled out spending more; even with the loss of Cano and possible suspension of Alex Rodriguez, that number is in jeopardy.
“What have I been saying?” Steinbrenner said after the Yankees introduced Jacoby Ellsbury in The Bronx on Friday. “We’re going to have a good team. If we get close to that number, then we’ll look at what kind of team we’ve got and what kind of team we have. If it’s not good enough, then it’s not good enough and we’ll keep going.”
The Yankees already have handed out pricey contracts to Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran and re-signed Derek Jeter and Hiroki Kuroda — with plenty of question marks remaining.
General manager Brian Cashman would also like to add a third baseman, a starting pitcher and bullpen help.
“I don’t know if we’ll have answers to all those questions,” Cashman said. “It might be something that develops over time. … We’ve got our lines in the water with trades and free agents.”
And he’s prepared to wait.
“There’s a lot of time between now and Opening Day,” Cashman said, “and in some cases it might not be resolved until the trade deadline.”
With Boone Logan heading to Colorado on a reported three-year, $16.5 million deal, the Yankees must decide whether to go outside the organization to replace him as the main lefty out of the pen or go with someone such as Cesar Cabral.
Logan emerged as one of the league’s top left-handers before arm problems hampered him down the stretch.
Before leaving the Red Sox for good, Ellsbury took out a full page ad in the Boston Globe thanking the team’s fans.
Addressed to “Red Sox Nation,” the ad read: “Two World Championships and seven years of great memories. To the fans of New England, teammates and the many friendships made. Thank you!”
Infielder David Adams agreed to a one-year contract with the Indians Friday. The 26-year-old split last season with the Yankees and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, batting .193 with two homers and 13 RBI in 43 games in his first season in the majors.