Brian Cashman on Yankees going over luxury tax: 'That would not be the preference'

GM prefers to improve team in cost-effective matter

11/6/2018, 10:57 PM
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Perhaps the Yankees won't break the bank this offseason. 

After managing to stay under the luxury tax in 2018, many expect the Yankees to go all in this offseason on free agent spending, but GM Brian Cashman would not go as far as saying that is the case. 

At the GM Meetings in California on Tuesday, Cashman said that the Yankees are still a "behemoth-type payroll" but it "would not be the preference" to exceed the luxury tax threshold in 2019. 

"Do we need to blow through everything exponentially? That would be not the preference," Cashman said. "But because of the market we're in and the ownership we have I know that we're capable of and it's a decision they ultimately will make when they're forced to make it -- if they have to make it. It's my job to collect as much talent as I possibly can in a very cost-effective matter and hopefully I can do all of that not have to go through luxury taxes."

Cashman also added that he prefers "to not line the pockets of opponents to use that (revenue) against us," referring to the penalty of exceeding the luxury tax, which redistributes money to the smaller market teams.

Only the Red Sox and Nationals exceeded the $197 million luxury tax threshold in 2018 -- and it led to a World Series title for the Yanks' AL East rivals. 

The 2019 threshold is expected to rise to $206 million and the Yankees should have room to make some additions in free agency, but if Cashman is serious about preferring to stay under the luxury tax, it would likely eliminate the Yankees from pursuing marquee free agents Manny Machado and Bryce Harper -- both of whom expect to receive record deals. 

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