Trouble is brewing between the Yankees and J.A. Happ
The Yankees and J.A. Happ are headed for trouble. The southpaw’s contract situation is going to become an ugly issue for both parties in 2020.
Before Sunday night’s win over the Red Sox the Yankees were most concerned with J.A. Happ’s inability to get anyone out. Now that he looks to be back on track, the organization could easily become more concerned with how many innings he pitches down the stretch.
Happ has a vesting option in his contract that can be activated by making 10 starts this season or pitching 61 1/3 innings. Both totals have been prorated to fit the current 60-game schedule. If Happ hits either of those marks, his $17 million salary in 2021 with the Yankees becomes fully guaranteed.
The veteran starter is already keenly aware of the difficulty he will face to satisfy his vesting options. The Yankees already skipped his turn in the rotation once this season in order to give Gerrit Cole an extra start on normal rest. Happ recently told reporters that one conversation on the subject between he and the organization’s brass “didn’t go very well.”
What’s the friction between J.A. Happ and the Yankees?
The tension between both sides is only going to increase as the season churns along. Happ’s start against the Red Sox was by far his best outing of the season. He managed to make it into the sixth inning while only giving up one run to Boston’s diminished, but still dangerous lineup. Under normal circumstances, that would strengthen Happ’s chances of being a regular participant in the rotation moving forward.
The Yankees’ front office doesn’t necessarily want that to happen. They’ll take any defensible measure necessary to avoid paying Happ $17 million next season. They will certainly skip Happ anytime it allows Cole to go on normal rest. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Happ left on the shelf later this season to give opportunities for a young arm like Deivi Garcia or Clarke Schmidt to make a spot start.
Happ isn’t going to stay quiet if that happens. If his contract with the Yankees doesn’t vest he will lose millions of dollars in free agency. It’s hard to imagine any franchise paying him anywhere close to $17 million due to the combination of his age, recent struggles, and the global pandemic.
dark. Next. 5 starting pitchers the Yankees should target in a trade
Yankees officials are going to need to handle this situation with finesse moving forward. They can’t afford for Happ’s contract to be a storyline that fractures the team’s locker room. The organization wants every player to remain laser-focused on the team’s quest for a 28th World Series title this year. They don’t want to let Happ’s consternation become an unwelcome distraction.