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TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner on Friday emphasized that he has not ordered his front office to drop the team’s player payroll below the highest competitive balance tax threshold of $301 million this season.

Steinbrenner, however, questioned whether fielding a payroll in that range is prudent.

“Does having a huge payroll really increase my chances that much of winning the championship?” Steinbrenner said. “I’m not sure there’s a strong correlation there. Having said that, we’re the New York Yankees, we know what our fans expect. We’re always going to be one of the highest in payroll. That’s not going to change. And it certainly didn’t change this year.”

In the wild-card era (since 1995), 21 of the 30 teams to win the World Series ranked in the top 10 in Opening Day payroll. However, just three teams since 2009, the year the Yankees claimed their last championship, have won the World Series ranked in the top three in payroll: The 2018 Boston Red Sox (first in the majors), 2020 Los Angeles Dodgers (second) and 2024 Dodgers (third).

This year, Steinbrenner said the Yankees, one of the most valuable franchises in professional sports, are currently projected to have a CBT payroll between $307 million and $308 million after a busy winter that included losing Juan Soto in free agency but adding Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. Cot’s Contracts, which tracks baseball salaries and payrolls, estimates the number to be $304.7 million, ranking fourth in the majors behind the Dodgers, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.

The Yankees have ranked in the top three in payroll in 16 of the 17 seasons since Steinbrenner became chairman and controlling owner of the franchise in 2008. The exception was 2018, when the team finished seventh.

The team was one of the nine levied tax penalties last season — the Yankees paid $62.5 million as one of four clubs taxed at a base rate of 50% for exceeding the lowest threshold in three or more straight years — and one of four levied the stiffest penalties for surpassing the highest threshold. As a result, their first-round pick in the 2025 draft dropped 10 slots.

This season, any dollar spent over $301 million will come with a 60% surcharge.

“I would say no,” Steinbrenner said when asked whether dropping below the highest threshold is a priority. “The threshold is not the concern to me.”

The Yankees, however, have tried to trade right-hander Marcus Stroman to shed salary and perhaps allocate the money elsewhere, according to sources. Stroman is due to make $18.5 million this season, but he isn’t projected to break camp in the team’s starting rotation.

The two-time All-Star started the Yankees’ first Grapefruit League game of the year Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays, tossing a scoreless inning a week after missing the first two days of workouts and emphasizing he would not pitch out of the bullpen this season. He maintained his stance Friday.

“I haven’t thought about it, to be honest,” Stroman said after departing the Yankees’ 4-0 win. “I know who I am as a pitcher. I’m a very confident pitcher. I don’t think you’d want someone in your starting rotation that would be like, ‘Hey, I’m going to go to the bullpen.’ That’s not someone you’d want.”

Steinbrenner also reiterated that he would consider supporting a salary cap for the next collective bargaining agreement if a floor is also implemented “so that clubs that I feel aren’t spending enough on payroll to improve their team would have to spend more.”

The current CBA is set to expire after the 2026 season.

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Tigers’ Baddoo to miss start of regular season

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Tigers' Baddoo to miss start of regular season

LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo had surgery to repair a broken bone in his right hand and will miss the start of the regular season.

Manager A.J. Hinch said Friday that Baddoo had more tests done after some continued wrist soreness since the start of spring training. Those tests revealed the hamate hook fracture in his right hand that was surgically repaired Thursday.

Baddoo, 26, who has been with the Tigers since 2021, is at spring training as a non-roster player. He was designated for assignment in December after Detroit signed veteran right-hander Alex Cobb to a $15 million, one-year contract. Baddoo cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.

Cobb is expected to miss the start of the season after an injection to treat hip inflammation that developed as the right-hander was throwing at the start of camp. He has had hip surgery twice.

Baddoo hit .137 with two homers and five RBIs in 31 games last season. The left-hander has a .226 career average with 28 homers and 103 RBI in 340 games.

After the Tigers acquired him from Minnesota in the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings in December 2020, Baddoo hit .259 with 13 homers, 55 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a .330 on-base percentage in 124 games as a rookie in 2021. Those are all career bests.

Baddoo went into camp in a crowded outfield. The six outfielders on Detroit’s 40-man roster include three other left-handed hitters (Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Parker Meadows) and switch-hitter Wenceel Pérez. The other outfielders are right-handers Matt Vierling and Justyn-Henry Malloy.

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Dodgers’ Miller has no fracture after liner scare

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Dodgers' Miller has no fracture after liner scare

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller still had a bit of a headache but slept fine and felt much better a day after getting hit on the head by a line drive, manager Dave Roberts said Friday.

Roberts said he had spoken with Miller, who was still in concussion protocol after getting struck by a 105.5 mph liner hit by Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch in the first game of spring training Thursday.

The manager said Miller indicated that there was no fracture or any significant bruising.

“He said in his words, ‘I have a hard head.’ He was certainly in good spirits,” Roberts said.

Miller immediately fell to the ground while holding his head, but quickly got up on his knees as medical staff rushed onto the field. The 25-year-old right-hander was able to walk off the field on his own.

“He feels very confident that he can kind of pick up his throwing program soon,” said Roberts, who was unsure of that timing. “But he’s just got to keep going through the concussion protocol just to make sure that we stay on the right track.”

Miller entered spring training in the mix for a spot in the starting rotation. He had a 2-4 record with an 8.52 ERA over 13 starts last season, after going 11-4 with a 3.76 in 22 starts as a rookie in 2023.

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Brewers OF Perkins (shin) to miss start of season

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Brewers OF Perkins (shin) to miss start of season

PHOENIX — Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Blake Perkins is expected to miss the first month of the season after fracturing his right shin during batting practice.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy revealed the severity of Perkins’ injury before their Cactus League opener Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds.

“They’re estimating another three to four weeks to heal and a ramp-up of four to six weeks,” Murphy said. “So you’re probably looking at May.”

Perkins, 28, batted .240 with a .316 on-base percentage, six homers, 43 RBIs and 23 steals in 121 games last season. He also was a National League Gold Glove finalist at center field.

“Perkins is a big part of our team,” Murphy said. “The chemistry of the team, the whole thing, Perk’s huge. He’s one of the most loved guys on the club, and he’s a great defender, coming into his own as an offensive player. Yeah, it’s going to hurt us.”

Murphy also said right-handed pitcher J.B. Bukauskas has what appears to be a serious lat injury and is debating whether to undergo surgery. Bukauskas had a 1.50 ERA in six relief appearances last year but missed much of the season with a lat issue.

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