Jacoby Ellsbury is moving on to the New York Yankees as he agreed to a seven year deal on Tuesday night.
Ellsbury, who was part of the Boston Red Sox World Series winning team this past year and who had been a fixture on the club with the likes of David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and Jon Lester is heading to their arch nemesis, the Yankees.
With this deal in place, the Yankees still have work to do, namely resigning their top star and this winter’s biggest prize, Robinson Cano. However, if they can not, they might have another option. Kelly Johnson, who this past season was with the Tampa Bay Rays, is on the verge of signing with the Yankees. If this happens, this provides the Yankees depth, but also insurance in case Cano becomes too expensive.
Story http://t.co/Z5sKCCRwwt on #Yankees on brink of signing Kelly Johnson to beef up bench/serve as Cano insurance
If Yankees exercise option, Ellsbury deal would be worth $169M, the ninth-biggest contract in baseball history: http://t.co/uZL1yweto1
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 4, 2013
Even though Ellsbury was hurt during the playoffs and World Series, he was signed in good faith.
Yankee fans:Ellsbury was misdiagnosed and abused for cracked ribs 1 yr.,, played Sept.-World series in2013 with bad foot and mashed hand…
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) December 4, 2013
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 4, 2013
The Yankees are getting a dynamic lead-off hitter in Ellsbury.
Yet, is Ellsbury worth losing Cano?
With more holes to fill for the Yankees to contend in 2014, we might find out.
