For the first time in years, the New York Yankees can look at their payroll and breathe… to a degree. The team regularly brushes up against the MLB’s highest luxury tax threshold , and the front office has roughly $70 million to work with before hitting the $300 million mark this offseason. In Yankee terms, that’s not just flexibility — it’s opportunity.

This isn’t about a spending spree for the sake of headlines. It’s about recalibrating after a year that exposed both roster imbalance and aging contracts. With key needs across the infield and outfield, the Yankees now have the financial room to pursue meaningful upgrades through free agency or trade.

The ghost of Aaron Hicks finally fades away

Part of that new freedom comes from the long-overdue disappearance of Aaron Hicks’ contract.

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