"You can't overstate how much they dislike that" - MLB analyst stresses that Yankees are upset with current revenue-sharing model

MLB analyst stresses that Yankees are upset with current revenue-sharing model; GETTY
MLB analyst stresses that Yankees are upset with current revenue-sharing model; GETTY

Compared to last year, the New York Yankees are in great shape this season with a 36-17 record, the best in the AL East division and the league overall. However, Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner's comment on the team's high payroll has raised concerns among fans and experts about the team's future moves.

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In the owners' meeting, Steinbrenner expressed worries about the team's financial sustainability due to their high luxury tax.

“I’m gonna be honest, payrolls at the levels we’re at right now are simply not sustainable for us financially,” Steinbrenner said, via Dan Martin of New York Post.
“It wouldn’t be sustainable for the vast majority of ownership (groups), given the luxury tax we have to pay.”
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That has led fans and experts to speculate on how the Yankees will manage their budget in the coming years. Andy Martino of SNY shared his opinion on a recent episode of "Foul Territory".

“You can't overstate how much they dislike that revenue-sharing model,” said Martino.
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The Yankees pay the fourth-highest luxury tax in the league, often called the "Steve Cohen Tax".

According to Greg Joyce of the New York Post, last year they paid $32.4 million in luxury taxes, and this season they are estimated to exceed the $300 million payroll limit for the first time, joining the New York Mets ( approx $319.4 million) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (approx $307.2 million) on the list.

Martino believes that the rosters of both New York teams might be influenced by the large sum of extra money they have spent on taxes.

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“I do buy that Hal doesn’t want to be paying 110% tax on every dollar. Neither does Steve Cohen, which influenced the Mets' roster decisions this offseason,” he added.

Yankees owner doesn’t believe that a high payroll team is necessary for a Championship

The New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner previously emphasized that a high payroll team is not necessary to win a championship. He believes that a mix of young and veteran players can achieve success within a reasonable budget.

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“I’ve been a broken record [on this topic]: I don’t believe I should have a $300 million payroll to win a championship,” Steinbrenner said.
“I believe I need a good mix of veterans, who are gonna make a lot more money, but also we’ve put a lot of money into our player development system in the last 5-10 years. And in my opinion, we have one of the better ones in baseball now.”

There have been no updates from the Yankees front office on how they plan to address the situation. However, the best guess is that they are likely to release or trade players. In this case, several names, including All-Star Juan Soto, could be on the list.

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Edited by Bhargav
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