NEW YORK (AP) — Catcher Francisco Cervelli and the New York Yankees have agreed to a $700,000, one-year contract.
Cervelli was limited to 17 games last season. He broke his right hand April 26 when hit by a foul tip off the bat of Toronto’s Rajai Davis and then was suspended for 50 games on Aug. 5 following Major League Baseball’s investigation of the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic. The discipline cost the 27-year-old $140,806 of his $515,350 salary.
New York signed All-Star Brian McCann during the offseason, and Cervelli likely will be a backup.
His agreement raises the Yankees’ luxury-tax payroll, including benefits, to about $165.6 million for 15 players with agreements. Outfielder Brett Gardner remains in arbitration along with pitchers Ivan Nova, David Robertson and Shawn Kelley.
New York hopes to be under the $189 million luxury tax threshold this season.
