NEW YORK — The Yankees have made a contract offer to ace CC Sabathia, who has until today to decide whether to opt out of the $92 million and four years remaining on his current deal.
Sabathia agreed to a $161 million, seven-year contract before the 2009 season and has gone 59-23 with a 3.18 ERA during the regular season for New York. If he opts out, the 31-year-old left- hander would become the top pitcher on the free-agent market.
Milwaukee reliever Francisco Rodriguez was among 148 players who became free agents Sunday after his $17.5 million mutual option expired.
K-Rod’s deal was reworked when he was traded from the New York Mets during the all-star break, changing it from an option that would have become guaranteed had he finished 55 games.
Rodriguez, used as a setup man by the Brewers, gets a $4 million buyout, up from the original $3.5 million. In addition, the Brewers declined a $6 million club option on shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, who gets a $2 million buyout.
Others whose options were declined included Atlanta outfielder Nate McLouth and the San Diego trio of right-handers Aaron Harang and Chad Qualls and outfielder Brad Hawpe, a former Rockie.
Pitcher Javier Lopez agreed to an $8.5 million, two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants rather than become a free agent. The Giants exercised a $5 million club option on fellow left-hander Jeremy Affeldt rather than pay a $500,000 buyout.
Boston exercised a $6 million option on shortstop Marco Scutaro, who turned 36 on Sunday.
The Associated Press
