Here’s why Miguel Andujar is exactly what Yankees fans need right now
3. He’s cheap
Brian Cashman and Yankee ownership have made keeping payroll at a manageable level a huge priority. As a result, having a starting third baseman that only accounts for .32 percent of the team’s projected salary this season is a huge asset.
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As a pre-arbitration player, Andujar is playing for relative peanuts this season. He’ll only earn an estimated $539,856 this season. For those wondering, that’s less than 10% of what Sonny Gray is stealing from the franchise this season.
Andujar’s low salary isn’t only important to helping the team’s bottom line this season. It’s arguably more important for Cashman and company moving forward. You may have heard that next year’s free agent class has quite a bit of star power. If the team is going to sign the likes of Manny Machado or Bryce Harper they will need to surround them with some inexpensive talent.
The Yankees aren’t afraid to spend big on transcendent stars, but growing prospects in-house has always helped the club control payroll when they’re at their best. Having Andujar under cheap control for the next few seasons could play a big part in allowing the Yankees to add premium talent at other positions through free agency.