Yankees Could Be Willing To Exceed Luxury-Tax Threshold For '20

Yankees Exec VP & GM Brian Cashman during the the first day of MLB's GM meetings "refused to delve extensively into questions about the team's payroll, although it's apparent the Yankees are willing to exceed" the $208M luxury-tax threshold for '20, according to Kevin Davidoff of the N.Y. POST. Their appetite for "hitting the higher thresholds" of $228M and $248M, featuring additional penalties, remains "to be seen." It should be "kept in mind that MLB, knee-deep in tension" with the MLBPA over "offseason spending and efforts, doesn't want its clubs publicly ruling themselves out for any player's services" (N.Y. POST, 11/12). On Long Island, Erik Boland notes the Yankees already have roughly $212M "committed in payroll" for '20, already "putting them over the first luxury tax threshold." The second threshold is $228M, which the Yankees are "likely to surpass." The third is $248M, a level that Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner currently is "not keen on going over" (NEWSDAY, 11/12).