The Yankees being cheapskates with their playoff shares has become a bit of a story.
https://nypost.com/2018/11/26/just-how-stingy-the-yankees-were-with-their-playoff-shares/
Ah yes, Josh Rutledge. I recently learned that his wife Laura is a sideline reporter for ESPN on college football games. She was in the news because she got slammed into by a couple of players going out of bounds. (She was okay.) One of the players thought he would be nice and offered to go on a date with her. That's when Josh's name came into it LOL
Both Johnson and Velazquez were very useful in getting our pitching staff through the 2018 season. The only thing that's changed is Johnson being out of options.
The odd thing is, we could be better off if both Sale and JD Martinez have off-seasons or miss time in 2019, increasing our chances of retaining them. Assuming we still win the World Series, of course.
I've been following the NYY Fan Forum for a while now. A bunch of them are convinced Hal has become obsessed with staying under the cap. This offseason will certainly tell the tale on that idea.
You mean Hembree, Johnson and Swihart?
The world of #5 starters is kind of a fringe zone anyway, like the world of middle relievers, it's in constant flux. Johnson already is a prototype 5/6 starter.
It'll be impossible to keep them all, because good/great players who hit free agency are absurdly expensive. That's just economic reality, it's not really doom and gloom. OTOH there's nothing much to complain about. Titles are what it's all about and we've got 4 in 15 years.
I don't think you get a really good prospect for Johnson. And the 2019 team is definitely in win now mode. You trade him only if there's no place for him. IMHO