Though the Yankees have an interest in Cuban Jorge Soler, sources suggest the Cubs will land the 20-year-old outfielder, who was recently declared a free agent.
“They have spent a lot of time with him,’’ the source said of the Cubs. The Pirates also have been linked to Soler.
Soler, who projects as a right fielder, has some scouts believing he is a better investment than the four-year, $36 million the A’s gave Yoenis Cespedes, who will be 27 in October.
Soler’s agents want bids submitted Thursday, and the terms floating around baseball Wednesday were four years at $20 million.
If recent history repeats, the Yankees won’t outbid all the other teams. They didn’t win the bidding process for Yu Darvish last year and didn’t get in the game for C.J. Wilson or Cespedes.
And with an eye toward 2014 when Hal Steinbrenner has vowed to keep the payroll below $189 million to avoid a major bill, a contract beyond 2013 may not fit the Yankees’ budget.
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Yankees amateur scouting director Damon Oppenheimer said he is confident the team will be able to sign first-round pick Ty Hensley quickly and remains impressed with the right-hander.
“He’s got the ideal pitcher’s body,” Oppenheimer said during a conference call of the high school senior the Yankees picked with the 30th overall selection Tuesday night. “He’s not a lean guy, who you have to worry about the toll of innings. He’s got the durable look of a guy who can pitch at the top of a rotation.”
Among the Yanks’ picks Wednesday was Jose Mesa Jr., who went in the 24th round. The 6-foot-4 right-hander is the son of former reliever Jose Mesa , who compiled 321 saves in a 19-year career. Mesa Jr. went to Charles Flanagan H.S. outside of Miami.
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According to manager Joe Girardi, Brett Gardner felt “stiffness’’ in the right elbow, a day after getting five at-bats in an extended spring-training game in Florida.
“I am not surprised,’’ Girardi said. “He hasn’t played since April 17.’’
Girardi said Gardner will play a game Wednesday, likely in Tampa, though the extended spring program is finished.
Gardner has been out since April 17 and had to stop a minor league rehab assignment on May 10 when the elbow barked again.
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David Robertson is getting closer to starting a rehab assignment. He is scheduled to throw batting practice Thursday. If that goes well, he likely will pitch in a minor league game this weekend.
“We will see how he feels [today]. Hopefully it’s all good,’’ Girardi said. “If he feels OK, he will play [today].’’
“If everything is good he will probably pitch in a rehab game this Sunday,’’ Girardi said of the right-handed reliever who has been out since May 11 with a left rib cage problem.
Asked if Robertson had to throw in consecutive games before coming off the disabled list, Girardi said that wasn’t necessary.
When Robertson does return, Girardi said he will pitch the eighth inning. When Mariano Rivera tore the ACL in his right knee on May 3, Robertson served a short stint as the closer until getting hurt eight days later. He converted one of two save chances.
“It would be a little unfair to put him in the ninth inning,’’ Girardi said. “Because he really has only done it [twice] and he is coming off an injury.’’
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Nick Swisher announced he will lend support to the Wounded Warrior Project’s goal of building awareness toward its mission of honoring injured service members.