Yankees, Johnson Agree on Two-Year Contract Extension
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All that stands between Randy Johnson and the Yankees are a bunch of medical tests.
The Big Unit and the Yankees reached a preliminary agreement yesterday on a $32 million, two-year contract extension, leaving only a physical as the final step needed to finishing the drawn-out process of finalizing the trade Arizona and the Yankees agreed to December 30.
Johnson, a five-time Cy Young Award winner, waived his no-trade clause as part of the agreement negotiated by agents Barry Meister and Alan Nero, a baseball official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Arizona will receive pitchers Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey, catcher Dioner Navarro and $9 million in the swap for the 41-year-old left-hander.
Johnson’s current deal, which is entering its final season, called for a $16 million salary in 2005, of which $6 million was deferred at 2% interest, with the money payable in 2010.
Arizona also had a preliminary agreement in place to trade Navarro and pitching prospect William Juarez to Los Angeles for Shawn Green and $8 million. But that deal appeared to be falling apart because the Diamondbacks and Green failed to agree to an extension.
