NEW YORK (AP) — Left-hander Matt Thornton has completed his $7 million, two-year contract with the New York Yankees, who cut outfielder Vernon Wells.
Thornton agreed to the deal Dec. 17 and gets $3.5 million in each of the next two seasons. His agreement, which was announced Friday, raises the Yankees’ luxury tax payroll for next season to $175.7 million for 13 signed players.
Including a pending $2 million, one-year deal for second baseman Brian Roberts and an estimated $11.5 million per team for benefits, New York’s tax payroll is at $189.2 million — above the $189 million threshold for the upcoming season.
However, Alex Rodriguez’s $27.5 million luxury-tax salary would disappear if his 211-game suspension is upheld by an arbitrator.
