12:48pm: O’Day receives a $1.75MM salary for the upcoming season and has a $1.4MM player option with a $700K buyout, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. He’ll actually make the first decision, and if he opts for the buyout, the Yankees then have a $3.15MM club option over the righty.
Technically, because O’Day is guaranteed this year’s $1.75MM salary and that $1.4MM player option, one could call this a $3.15MM guarantee over a two-year term. However, since only the buyout is technically factored into the guarantee under the luxury tax, it’s a one-year, $2.45MM deal for luxury purposes. Ultimately, if O’Day pitches well enough to decline that player option but still have the club option exercised, it seems he can earn a total of $5.6MM between 2021-22.
12:33pm: O’Day’s contract is a one-year deal that contains both a player option and a club option, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. (Presumably, the Yankees will have the option to pick up O’Day’s 2022 season at a set price and, if declined, he can opt into a second season at a lower rate.) He’s guaranteed a total of $2.5MM in 2021, Heyman adds.
12:22pm: The Yankees are in agreement on a contract with free-agent righty Darren O’Day, reports Lindsey Adler of The Athletic (via Twitter). O’Day, represented by the Ballengee Group, still needs to pass a physical before the deal is finalized.
The 38-year-old O’Day will add a seasoned veteran to an already formidable Yankees bullpen. Most expected O’Day to be back with the Braves in 2021, given an affordable club option on his contract, but Atlanta made the surprising decision to pay him a $500K buyout rather than pay him a $3.5MM salary in 2021. For a reliever coming off 16 1/3 innings of 1.10 ERA ball eight hits and five walks allowed against 22 strikeouts, that seemed to be an eminently reasonable price tag. Heyman adds that the Braves and Phillies finished runner-up to the Yankees in their efforts to sign O’Day.
O’Day wasn’t only strong in 2020, of course. The sidearming righty has a length track record of being a high-quality setup piece, dating all the way back to a breakout 2009 with the Rangers. He’s dealt with injuries in recent years, requiring IL stints for elbow, shoulder and hamstring injuries since 2016, but whenever he’s on the field O’Day has been effective. Since 2012, he’s only turned in three seasons with an ERA north of 3.00 — never higher than 2016’s 3.77 in that span — while putting together a composite 2.34 ERA with a 28.6 percent strikeout rate against an impressive 6.8 percent walk rate.
New York’s recent trade of Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox surely paved the way for this move. Prior to shedding the bulk of Ottavino’s salary, the Yankees were pressed right up to the precipice of a luxury-tax barrier that ownership is said to be unwilling to cross. That trade, however, cleared $8.15MM of luxury obligations (in exchange for Ottavino and prospect Frank German, who was effectively sold to Boston in the swap). Some of that resulting flexibility will now go to O’Day — a veteran reliever himself who, like Ottavino, gives right-handed opponents fits (career .193/.262/.287).
The Yankees also reportedly circled back with longtime outfielder Brett Gardner at some point last week and still have some interest in bringing him back — likely as a reserve, given a rather full outfield slate as it is. If Gardner is willing to take a similar guarantee to that of O’Day, he could slot into a bench role and still leave the Yankees a few million dollars of breathing room, relative to the luxury threshold, for in-season dealings.
nice pickup
Just say no to Gardner- he has nothing left to give.
Joc Peterson should be looked at
I’m not sure they’ll have the space to get Pederson though. They already did a salary dump to their most hated rival, seems like they have hard instructions from ownership to avoid the tax.
O’Day is 38 and has pitched more than 20 innings in each of the last 3 seasons. I wonder if he could run out of gas late in the year.
no more than 20 innings
funny how so many players excel after they leave LAA
Or Baltimore lol
O’Day is 38 and has pitched no more than 20 innings in each of the last 3 seasons. I wonder if he could run out of gas late in the year.
Who cares? He’s depth to get you to the post season.
Exactly. Cost was minimal. He was never signing with Boston for anywhere near the amount the Yankees are paying. He wanted another shot at the ring and probably took less than what the Phillies would have paid. Just my guess. I believe AO was overused in 19 and at times spent bin the short 20 season. If both are properly rested, they’re probably equally effective and the Yankees basically sold AO and the minor league pitcher to save some bucks that allows the team to complete its roster and have deadline flexibility. Looks like a win-win situation.
Nice little pickup.
Perfect fit. Ground ball pitcher in those East band boxes.
check his numbers vs LH hitters. While has mostly limited contact to both RH and LH batters, when lefties make contact.. It’s far& deep.
Good situational reliever from the O’s, but reason more games than innings throughout his career.. Used mainly vs RH hitters so that sweeping, almost underhanded arm action can be avoided by LH hitter’s.
I did check out his numbers vs. LH hitters. .228 BA. 299. OBP. .411 SLG. .710 OPS for his career.. So while he is death to RH hitters he also gets out LH hitters and they don’t tee off on him. He is not a situational reliever. LH hitters have trouble with him as well. The more games than innings thing is from earlier in his career. He is very much a one-inning guy who faces both RH hitters and LH hitters.
He is just a really good reliever with a long track record of success which is rare for a reliever given how volatile they can be. He is extremely underrated and undervalued as a player when you look at his career.
O’Day is actually an extreme flyball pitcher (one of the lowest GB% for over a decade) who throws a ton up in the zone, he’s just really hard to hit because his delivery and stuff are good.
A lot of these sidearm guys are incredibly hard to hit if they only have to pitch an inning.
Just ask Bautista he loves hitting O’Day!
Jays fan….lol See ya in 3rd
This has to make them World Series favorites.
This is a joke right? Wouldn’t think Darren O’Day is the type of addition that would put anyone over the top…
Whoosh….
Yes, it was a joke. I would probably rank them around 3-6.
Thank god.
This is a very strong addition for the Yankees
I think the Champs are the favorites until they prove otherwise, but the Yankees were favored to win the AL before today!!!
Yeah agreed…I kinda question them being favs in AL too, TBH, but hopefully they prove me wrong!
Can’t say I agree with them being favorites. I need to see Kluber and Taillon make some starts first. I kinda doubt both will be in top form.
Copy! 100 percent agreed. They are not worse than Happ without throwing one pitch. Don’t forget Severino and German also contributing at some point.
I’d put the White Sox and Blue Jays before them in the AL.
LOL no way on the Blue Jays, they don’t have the pitching depth. The White Sox are the only AL team I’m really concerned with
Agreed, Until the Jays address SP they are fighting for 3rd with Boston. Red Sox adding Richards and E-Rod (and Sale later in the year), plus Kiki, they have upgrade starting pitching more than the Jays have. In fact, Richards and E-Rod are arguably better than Robbie Ray.
lol….That’s funny!
The Yankees don’t have any pitching depth as well. I think it’s just going to be whoever’s offense is able to take them further. Still a lot of offseason for both to add anyways.
The Yankees have a starting five of Cole, Kluber, Taillon, Montgomery, and likely German. They have Garcia, Nelson, King, and Schmidt available for long innings and spot starts. I’d say that is some decent depth. It might not be veteran or “proven” depth but nonetheless it is depth
A lot more depth than Toronto has as it stands. No question.
I meant proven. The only two pitchers who look to be reliable are Cole and Ryu.
I would never count on Sale.
But wouldn’t we all just feel so much better with another bullpen arm & a bench upgrade?
Know I would.
Too soon to count out Sale.
Welp how do the Yankees always have a good pen
Unfortunately has not proved super successful for them
Very nice pickup. Pretty sure he signed for cheap too.
YAY!
Great move
Blue Jays counter by bringing back Jose Bautista
Beat me to it.
Maybe Springer could get a bat-flip tattoo.
Nice pick up. I like that they added a different look to their bullpen.
Good move if it’s cheap they could still get Gardy + another reliever
Why do you want them to waste $ on Gardner??? He is a complete waste. Another bullpen arm would be far more valuable to this team.
Cannot understand why anyone would want Gardner back. I like the guy but he’s replaceable.
Lefty bench bat who’s good in the field, durable, and hasn’t been a bad hitter. Can’t count on judge/hicks/Stanton to play 162 games each
We have a LH bench option who costs less, is younger, and is a better defender: Tauchman. Just cuz he couldn’t hit during a 60 game season doesn’t mean you write him off.
And we already have a 5th OF in Andujar.
On top of that, Gardy (if re-signed) is blocking youngsters from getting an opportunity.
Plenty of guys capable of filling leadership roles, Gardner ain’t that valuable, don’t overhype him.
Andujar? He can’t field OR hit based on recent showings.
@jake Agreed. The Yankees have plenty of clubhouse voices in Judge, Cole, Voit, Britton, DJL, and Stanton. It’s time to move on from Gardy, let some of the kids play, and leave some of that payroll space for the summer.
WAR doesn’t measure what Gardner brings
Dude I’ve been preaching that as well. Clints our starter no need to pay a 37yr old OF more than our starter/future. Unless bighead takes a massive pay cut. Must be annoying as hell for Clint, finally earns his keep and the team and fan base wants to bring back the guy he’s been trying to take his spot and not only that, they might pay Gardy more than what he’s making just to sit on the bench.
Gardy has said himself he still feels like he can play. Idk if he ever said he’s accepted a backup roll, if he has then I haven’t heard it and I’m under the impression that he still thinks he’s very good, like a starter. Maybe he is just, not with the yanks at this point in his career.
Frazier’s salary is dictated by just becoming arb eligible. while Gardy is a FA. A money comp isn’t an issue. And the Yanks aren’t signing Gardy to last year’s deal. I’d bet on something in the $4 mil range..
And Gardy doesn’t fill out the lineup card so what he thinks is immaterial – and I’d rather he thought he was good enough to start, but I think he knows the drill. If Yanks felt Tauchman or Ford could better fill the lefty bat role they might not make this move.
And face it, its the Yankees. They hang on to long term players more than just about any team as part of their brand.
A better lefty OF bat option like Joc Pederson is just out of the price range. And a 6th or 7th reliever isn’t likely to be any more important than a depth position player. But we’ll see how it goes.
Lefty bar is huge in this equation. Plus solid defense.
Tauch is just as good defensively. That’s a moot component.
I see Gardner as little more than a roadblock for others who are more worthwhile investments in the long term. Mike Ford, Tauchman, Andujar, heck, even Florial. All of those guys need opportunities.
Yanks aren’t worried about the long term for bench spots.
Ford offers no defensive flexibility and has options left. Give him plenty of ABs in Scranton until the need arises. Andujar bats righty, is still in development as an OF (we saw that last year), and has an option left. Tauchman will be on the active roster. And Florial needs more reps in the minors – he still has to prove himself ready for the bigs. He hasn’t had a AA AB yet.
They may all see time in NY this year – injuries happen and that is what depth is for – as we’ve seen in spades over the prior 2 seasons.
Honestly why don’t the Yanks sign Joe Panik? he’s really underrated, LH, is ok with a MiLB deal, and could take over second if DJ/Urshela/Voit get’s injured. a couple sessions with Marcus thames and he’s be back to 2014-2015 glory, and he’s just 30 this year. seems stupid not to sign him…
Maybe you’re right, maybe not.
$$ is much better spent on pitching, not an old man well past his best days.
Anyone but Gardner makes more sense to me. I straight up see zero reason to bring him back.
Panik could be an interesting reclamation project, but I assume they’d just go forward as planned with Wade as IF backup.
Very happy with this pick up
Nice this makes them worse
How so?
Why do you respond to obvious trolling? Especially from a Twins fan?
I’d take $2m for O’Day over $8m for Happ any day of the week
Happ is washed Oday is ehhhh
Very nice pickup, he was pretty effective last year and should fit right in. Good ground ball to fly ball % that should be good for yankees stadium.
Ottavino replacement/upgrade for a fraction of the price (presumably). This is why Cashman is the best!
Upgrade might be a stretch but he’s done a remarkable job if the Yankees are really on a budget to stay under the cap.
So basically they traded Ottavino and German for Oday and 6 million dollars.
la verdad
You would think that the 3 batter min rule would hurt a guy like him, since lefty hitters get such a good look at side-arming righties
LH hit him at a 228 clip with a 299 OBP. Every team should be so lucky.
But the Angels grabbed Claudio. Great signing by the Yankees. I’m jealous.
The Riddler says, I like what I see, O what a DAY!
Nice move, replaces ottavino
Amazing move. Love it.
David Robertson for 1mil next?
I like the move. O’Day has great career stats and doesn’t really seem to have lost a step even at age 38. We needed a sidearmer anyways
This offseason is big for weird contracts, options, and deferrals.
Specially on 2-year contracts for relievers…. what in the world
Great move but still too much risk in starting pitching. Team is hamstrung by salary cap…really? They need to be in it to win it. Time is passing this team by
I think the plan is to be under the cap for next year’s best FA class in history. Dynasties aren’t built year to year. The rays are worse than last year and the Yankees are the same at worst and potentially much better if they are healthy. No need to go crazy this year and take yourself out of the market next year. Take a peak at the players set to become FA next year and it helps explain why every team should want to be under the luxury tax going into next off season.
Yankees have assembled a pitching staff, aside from Cole, with high-risk, high-reward guys. It’s boom or bust. All they need is for a few, not all, to catch fire and roll deep into the playoffs. Tanaka, Happ, and Paxton never had this kind of upside. Stacking #3/4 innings eating types hasn’t gotten them too far.
Teams are getting way too smart for their own good. We are seeing relievers signed to 2-3 year contracts with buyouts and player/club options with deferred money. Just pay the players!
A lot of these odd contracts following 2020 could be mutually beneficial. If MLB doesn’t fully recover economically before 2022, the players may very well want to re-enter free agency for 2022. When the revenues are back up, they may be able capitalize on better agreements. This one definitely makes sense on both sides. O’Day had plenty of suitors and the timing likely impaired his earning potential.
Nice signing. I was disappointed ATL chose to let him walk on his option. It was likely due to our Liberty Media ownership being publicly traded and the Braves attempting to stay within hard salary, spending, and earnings limits.
While it’s a laudable signing for the Yankmes, I regret O’Day landing with them as much as I would if he went to another team in the NL East. 1996 and 1999 World Series still sours my beers…
Super underrated reliever, surprised the Braves let him walk
Same thoughts about Braves and O’Day, here. He’s a good get for any bullpen.
As a Braves fan it’s maddening to me they let him go at the paltry salary he was making. Add to that Greene and Melancon were already FA. The pen has yet to be addressed and they still don’t have a clean up hitter. Smh. But hey, we have Smyly for 11m! ::sigh::
This is a shrewd move by the Yanks, though. He’ll help.
O’day was incredible for us I can’t believe they let him go for basically nothing.
I still remember the days at the old ballpark in Arlington when you went to a game around 2009-10 and the fans would shout “O’Day, O’Day, O’Day, O’Day… O’Day, O’Day” every time they brought him into the game. Can’t believe he’s still pitching.
Man I remember going to watch the Red Sox down in baltimore and hearing the orioles fans doing the same thing.
Very nice. If it can’t be the Phillies, at least he’s not anywhere else in the NL East.
Ugh, it’s as bad as the NL East with the 1996 and 1999 World Series losses to the Yankmes. I respect the NYY franchise, however they became a WS rival for me decades ago.
Interesting. I thought they might instead being in a lefty, but O’Day is certainly a more than worthy replacement for Ottavino.
While I don’t like throwing loads of cash against the wall to win a title. Knowing they are in win now mode; screw the luxury tax for a few years and sign Bauer. Go all in once and for all and stop nickel and diming the rotation.
Not sure what my thoughts are about this move. I guess both Bentances and Robertson wanted too much money.
I like your attitude for sure! I think that if they thought they were a Bauer away from winning it all they would be all in. I think the evaluation is that Bauer is not a difference maker. We have an ace in Severino ready to join the rotation. Bold prediction–Severino out pitches Bauer this year.
That’s next year.
He’s still really good despite only pitching a couple dozen innings the last 3 seasons.
When he’s healthy, he’s great.
Really hoped he’d come back to Atlanta. Backend bullpen guys always get the love, but O’Day was a huge part of the Braves last year, especially considering their starting pitching woes. Did his job, got outs, and provided a nice veteran presence in the clubhouse.
kills me…we waited 2 full seasons to finally see O’Day pitch. He pitched pretty dang good only to have his option declined. Cheap a** Braves smh…
Yanks need a left side hitter – go get Joc
Once the Yankees decided to go back to reclamation projects which is Cashman’s specialty like Nathan Eovaldi & James Paxton due to high end ceiling but injury prone you knew Cashman once again will tab into the “Potential” basis again with Kluber & Taillion to now form the best starting pitching rotation aside of Cole as the “Mash Unit with Potential”.
Now Cashman simply traded in Otto for O’Day & eventually Gardner again not surprised at all by Cashman’s moves O’Day is more reliable than Otto but I still feel the Yankees dropped the ball they could have traded Voit or Gio should have moved Gleybar to Second Base while moving DJ to First Base and letting him play some 2nd & 3rd base in the meantime while they could have landed Lindor & Carrasco or the Yankees should have asked the Cubs for Bryant & Hendriks selling high on Gio and others while they could.
Cashman can build good bullpens but he is horrible on Starting Pitching and is way too loyal on some players aka Gardner or won’t admit horrible Signings Stanton, Hicks right now to just name a few and rather than try with Hicks say to seek a trade and eat most of his contract he will run out identical situation in the Outfield and all out “Mash Unit” .
He wont give Red Thunder a boost of confidence yet continues to makes this Yankee team an older team which will lead to more question marks than answers.
Now this is a sneaky good pickup
Would love Joc but he will be much more expensive than Gardy. I was hoping for La Stella to replace Wade.
Yankees add value, Red Sox add negative value.
Britton and O’Day In Yankees uniforms….
A sad sight for O’s fans. Two of my favorites.
To think they almost signed Manny Machado.
Well he wasn’t one of my favorites. And they may have never signed DJ Lemahieu if they got him. so we’ll chalk that one up as a miss. At least to me!
Nice arm, nice price.
Man.
General managers, uh?
Tell ya…
If I go waterfowl hunting (best times sunrise & sunset), or small game hunting (best time warmest part of the day – so late afternoon) or turkey hunting (sometimes only legal early mornings) I don’t miss anything.
But grouse are most active bankers hours: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (during the winter I’d say add an hour). & every time I go, man, I seem to miss multiple baseball & football stories & oftentimes Yanks or Jints one’s. Makes me wonder about Cashman’s & Gettelman’s nightlife, uh?
The bullpen market is like the British Cafe racer market right now. It is simply; Too Deep. All contenders should be in on it, & I’m glad to see Cash is, man.
Chapman/Britton/Greene is a good endgame.
Yanks have approached long relief with numbers; can Cessa take just one more half step forward, can Adam Warren return at 90% capability, can Loaisiga become the as (twice) predicted on Fangraphs “next Josh Hader”?
If so, long relief should be covered. One of those dudes should fill it…& man, just think if Cashman hits on 2 of 3.
Mercy.
Makings of a really good pen.
& the Yanks have plenty of Young Hard Throwing RH Relief Candidates. Heller, Gil, Abreu, Medina, the afforemationed Johnny Lasagna, etc.
What we don’t have is another reliable LHRP.
But, man.
Look at some of these names that didn’t even make the top 50 free agent list: Tony Watson, Justin Wilson, Pedro Alvarez, Roberto Perez, Jake McGee, Heck – as a shot out to MLBTR – I’ll include Sean Doolittle. But – damn – get a lefty, Cash.
We’ve seen/are seeing him try to catch lighting in a bottle with these LH relievers; Lyons (again!), Avilen, Brothers, Coulombe… just get a real one, man. A guy who can get a few outs in the playoffs.
Upgrade UTIL & maybe add some starting depth & the Yankees will have painfully, slowly crawled to a decent off-season.
Good signing, reminds me of the relief pitching in 99, Yanks had Nelson, Grimsley, Mendoza, Stanton, and Rivera, Yanks have relief pitchers throwing out of different windows. Yanks now have Chapman, Britton, Green, O’Day, Loaisiga, and Warren.
What Are Some Reasons Why Darren O’Day Makes A Decent Addition To The Bullpen For The Yankees?
Good signing but a dumb contract structure. Why not make this a much simpler agreement that has the exact same impact to their CBT. Sign him to a (1) year, $2M contract with a $450K buyout on a Year 2, $3.5M option. The exact same money would be paid out to O’Day, it would just be much cleaner. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a deal where a player can decline a year 2 option and upon doing so, a second option kicks in after that…very strange. There is no CBT advantage to doing this, so I’m trying to understand why they did this.0
Yeah, but I don’t think a “cleaner” looking contract is ever a goal. Ya know?
I’m betting that was a Battle of Accountants, or whatever.
It’s because this structure actually guarantees O’Day more, $3.15 million specifically (over 2 years). The way you described would only guarantee him $2.45 million. But yes, I’ve never heard anything quite like this.
O’Day is guaranteed more money the way Yankees constructed his contract.
Bring back Gardy!
Nice little pickup for the NYY. He was on my list for the RS, though the Bargain Basement Bloom Bashers would’ve hated it.
The Braves now have some nice holes in their bullpen, and I don’t think that there are so many great pieces out there to replace the likes of Greene & O’Day….and still no closer.