The New York Yankees. The almighty, the team everyone loves to hate. No other team in Major League Baseball history even comes close to their 27 World Series pennants, and it will stay that way for a very long time. However, the Yankees are coming off their first decade without even making it to the World Series in team history. That’s surprising given their tradition, and especially considering how many stars they’ve had on their team during that period. Well, mostly.
The Bronx Bombers have become famous – and infamous – around the league for their huge deals and signings. They don’t hesitate to spend big bucks to land a top-notch free agent that can make their roster even better.
Obviously, there have been several exceptions to that rule, such as Carl Pavano, Jose Contreras, and especially Kei Igawa, but most of the time, they get it right. Over the past decade, so, there have been 3 players that have totally ripped them off: Pedro Feliciano, Kevin Youkilis, and Jacoby Ellsbury; the 3 worst Yankees signings of the decade.
The Worst Yankee Free Agent Signings Of The Decade
3. Pedro Feliciano
Pedro Feliciano. (Getty)
If you don’t remember watching Pedro Feliciano throw a single pitch for the New York Yankees, that’s because he never did. He signed a 2-year deal worth $8 million after a lengthy and somewhat successful career with the New York Mets but his high usage took a toll on his health when he moved from Queens to the Bronx.
Feliciano suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and was shut down for nearly two seasons. He spent the rest of his contract with the Yankees’ double-A affiliate and was never seen afterward.
2. Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Youkilis. (Getty)
Oh my God, how could we forget about Kevin Youkilis?. Mostly remembered from his time at Fenway Park, Youkilis decided to change teams ahead of the 2012 season, signing a $12 million deal with the lifelong rivals.
The former All-Star straight robbed the Yankees, though, as he could only play 28 games and hit .219 for the season. He was supposed to replace an injured Alex Rodriguez but spent most of his lone year at the Bronx injured himself.
1. Jacoby Ellsbury
Jacoby Ellsbury. (Getty)
Well, this is starting to become a trend here. That’s why you don’t sign players from the competition. Jacoby Ellsbury’s tenure with the Yankees was so infamous that some conspiracy theorists claim that he only joined the team to hurt them.
After his successful career with the Boston Red Sox, Ellsbury signed a seven-year, $154 million deal with the Bronx Bombers. His numbers took a massive dip from the very moment he started wearing pinstripes and his last appearance came in 2017 due to a never-ending hip injury. He was finally released in 2019 and his contract will go down as the worst in team history.
