Yankees agree with Matt Holliday on one-year deal
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Matt Holliday and the Yankees have agreed on a one-year contract, filling the club’s need for a middle-of-the-order hitter on the eve of baseball’s Winter Meetings.
Completion of the $13 million deal is pending a physical, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations.
Now that they’ve secured a right-handed-hitting designated hitter, the Yankees will focus on a potential reunion with free agent closer Aroldis Chapman and sorting through the starting pitching market — on both the free agent and trade fronts.
Holliday, who turns 37 next month, was one of several options to fill the power void created by the recent trade of Brian McCann to Houston for two pitching prospects.
The Yankees had a flirtation with Edwin Encarnacion and also expressed interest in fellow free agents Mike Napoli and Carlos Beltran — who recently signed a one-year, $16 million deal with the Astros.
Primarily a left fielder over his 13-year career, Holliday’s ability to play first base — he made 10 appearances at the position last season — provides some cover for lefty-hitting first baseman Greg Bird, who missed the entire 2016 season due to shoulder surgery.
Holliday could also see playing time subbing for left fielder Brett Gardner, who is also a candidate to be traded. Rookie Tyler Austin’s playing time might be most affected by Holliday’s presence.
But the one-year deal for Holliday doesn’t cloud the Yankees’ long-term picture of having their promising young position players inheriting significant roles in 2017. Bird is expected to step in for the retired Mark Teixeira and owner Hal Steinbrenner has said he anticipates Aaron Judge being his every day right fielder.
A seven-time All-Star and former NL batting champ, Holliday signed a seven-year, $120 million contract with St. Louis before the 2010 season. Over a career spent mainly with the Rockies and Cardinals, Holliday compiled a slash line of .303/.382/.515 and won a World Series ring with the 2011 Cardinals.
In 110 games last season, Holliday batted .246 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI. But he suffered a fractured right thumb in August, and by September, the Cardinals informed Holliday that they weren’t likely to exercise his 2017 option.
“While I’m disappointed this could be it here in St. Louis, I understand that it might be time to move on,’’ Holliday said in a statement after hitting a dramatic and emotional, late-season, pinch-hit home run before the adoring Cardinals fans.
A four-time NL Silver Slugger award winner, Holliday was the 2007 NL Championship Series MVP in 2007, the year he batted .340 for the pennant-winning Rockies. His career .897 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) ranks ninth among active players.
