Looking to rebuild their rotation, the New York Yankees showed they mean business Wednesday, reaching a tentative agreement with free-agent left-hander CC Sabathia on a record-setting seven-year, $161 million contract during Day 3 of the winter meetings.
Sabathia must pass a physical and a few other details must be completed before he can be introduced as the Yankees' new ace. The package will be the richest ever for a pitcher. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman left the winter meetings to meet with Sabathia in California to close the deal.
''You get very excited about it,'' Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. ''You stay a little bit reserved because there's still things that have to be done. But you do get excited about it because it's a guy that we talked about that we were going to pursue very heavily all along.''
The package reportedly includes a clause that will allow Sabathia to opt out of the deal after three years.
Sabathia, 28, went 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA for the Cleveland Indians before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on July 7. After the trade, Sabathia helped carry the Brewers to the National League wild card by going 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts.
The Indians will face the Yankees in the regular-season opener of the new Yankee Stadium on April 16.
''It'll be strange to see him in another uniform,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ''But it'll be just as strange, if not more so, for him looking across at us.''
The Indians are ready to make their own news today. Former Cubs closer Kerry Wood is scheduled to undergo a physical in Cleveland after agreeing to a two-year, nearly $20 million contract with a vesting option for a third year, a source said.
The most coveted closer on the market became a member of the New York Mets after passing his physical. Francisco Rodriguez, who saved a record 62 games for the Los Angeles Angels last season, signed off on a three-year, $37 million deal.
Later, the Mets acquired Seattle Mariners closer J.J. Putz as part of a three-team, 12-player trade. Putz will be the setup man for Rodriguez.
The Mets traded seven players -- six to the Mariners, one to the Indians -- and received three. Reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez, left-hander Jason Vargas and three minor-leaguers went to the Mariners and reliever Joe Smith to the Indians.
Putz, center fielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green went to the Mets. The Mariners received outfielder Franklin Gutierrez from the Indians, who got second baseman Luis Valbuena from the Mariners.
