Power hitter Edwin Encarnacion will be looking for a new team in the 2020 MLB season after the New York Yankees declined his $20 million club option for his services, making him a free agent.
The Yankees have decided to move on without the slugger, who will turn 37 in January. Encarnacion was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Yankees halfway through the 2019 season.
Encarnacion played in only 109 games, the result of missing time due to a broken wrist and an oblique injury, but managed to smack 34 home runs and record 86 RBIs, proving that he is still a capable hitter.
Despite his regular season success, perhaps the Bronx Bombers soured on Encarnacion after seeing him struggle in their ALCS loss to the Houston Astros, where he went 1-18 with 11 strikeouts.
The Yankees now owe $5 million to their former right-handed power bat as part of a buyout that the team had to pay when declining his 2020 option.
It’s an understandable move, considering the options that New York has at the designated hitter position and Encarnacion’s high salary and advanced age.
The Dominican veteran will now be able to sign with any team of his choosing during the offseason.
