Jeff Passan Harshly Criticizes Yankees Ownership, Reluctance to Exceed Luxury Tax

One of baseball's most trusted and beloved insiders blasted Yankee higher-ups for not spending as much as they can.
Dec 21, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Hal Steinbrenner during a press conference at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images
Dec 21, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Hal Steinbrenner during a press conference at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images / Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images

After a flurry of moves earlier in the offseason, the New York Yankees have been dormant for almost a month.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Bronx Bombers are unwilling to make any more moves to upgrade the roster until they can offload starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, who will be paid $18 million this coming season. This aligns with the financial plan of team owner Hal Steinbrenner, who has made it clear that he wants to avoid triggering the final luxury tax threshold of $301 million and is effectively treating said threshold as an unofficial salary cap; Steinbrenner has gone as far to call a $300 million payroll "unsustainable".

However, Steinbrenner's concerns about payroll have fallen on deaf ears, especially given the Yankees' past reputation of free spending and the Los Angeles Dodgers pushing their own payroll to new heights. If anything, these concerns have left him open to some scathing criticism, including from arguably the most trusted MLB insider.

Participating as a guest on Tuesday's episode of The Michael Kay Show, ESPN's Jeff Passan blasted Steinbrenner and the Yankees' front office for their refusal to exceed the luxury tax threshold, citing that other large-scale market teams such as the Dodgers and the cross-town rival Mets have shown no such restraint.

"If the penalties are so tough, then why are the Dodgers and Mets doing it?" Passan said. "At the end of the day, these are the New York freaking Yankees. If a luxury tax threshold is holding them back, it says more about where they are as a franchise than it does about the luxury tax itself. When have the Yankees ever played third fiddle in baseball? That's exactly where they are right now when it comes to spending."

With the Yankees electing to shed payroll after coming within three wins of their first World Series championship since 2009, it is certainly fair to question Steinbrenner's commitment to winning and fielding the best team possible. The Bronx Bombers have a number of issues that still need to be addressed, such as a third baseman, left-handed relievers, and more offensive firepower in general. Granted, this doesn't take some of New York's blockbuster trades into account (Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger), but that still doesn't excuse the refusal to fill glaring team needs due to the luxury tax, especially when the Yankees are the most profitable team in the league.

New York still has a great chance to defend their American League crown, thanks to a revamped pitching corps and Aaron Judge still leading the offensive attack. But if Steinbrenner's refusal to exceed the luxury tax prevents the team from making worthwhile additions, then the criticism he receives from Passan and others will only grow louder.


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Joe Najarian
JOE NAJARIAN

Joe Najarian is the Deputy Editor and a writer for the New York Yankees and New York Mets On SI sites. He got his bachelor’s degree in journalism with a specialization in sports from Rutgers University, graduating in 2022. Joe has previously written for Jersey Sporting News and for the New York Giants On SI site. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @JoeNajarian