CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman was the first to mention the possibility and now Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News has the deal confirmed.
The Yankees have officially reached agreement on a seven-year contract with free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. The total value of the deal will exceed the seven-year, $142 million pact that Carl Crawford signed with the Red Sox prior to the 2011 season.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports says this Ellsbury contract does not preclude the Yankees from being able to re-sign Robinson Cano, but it certainly puts the pressure on Cano’s new representatives at Roc Nation Sports.
Ellsbury, 30, hit .298/.355/.426 with nine homers and 52 steals in 134 games this past season for the World Series-champion Red Sox. The Scott Boras client will likely lead off and play center field in New York.
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UPDATE, 8:55 p.m. ET: Ellsbury’s seven-year deal is worth $153 million, according to Feinsand.
UPDATE, 9:02 p.m. ET: Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports that there’s an eighth-year option.