Yankee ownership would add to luxury tax bill for right trade

The New York Yankees face one of the biggest luxury tax bills in Major League Baseball, but they won’t let it stop them if they feel it necessary to make a big trade.

The Yankees are roughly $15 million shy of passing the $246 million mark in terms of payroll. If they surpassed that mark, they would be hit with a 62.5 percent luxury tax rate and see their top draft pick dropped by ten spots next year. According to owner Hal Steinbrenner, however, the Yankees would face the consequences if surpassing that threshold meant they could land a player they think could put them over the top.

“If I really felt we needed that deal, that it takes us over the top, then yes, I would,” Steinbrenner said Wednesday, via David Lennon of Newsday. “But we still have a decent amount of cushion. I’m not concerned about that. It’s a decent cushion.”

Starting pitching would seem like the most obvious upgrade for the Yankees. They could theoretically land Madison Bumgarner and remain under that threshold, but there are indications that he’s not a priority for them. It’s clear that the Yankees will look to be aggressive at the deadline, but just how aggressive remains to be seen.