Report: Yankees intend to get under luxury tax threshold for 2018

After paying the luxury tax for 14 straight seasons, the New York Yankees appear determined to enter 2018 below the tax threshold, sources told Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, teams over the threshold are required to pay 92 percent of that amount in taxes. Prior to the regular season, the Yankees' bill was reportedly just under $9 million, a significant dropoff from the $27.4 million the organization paid before the 2016 regular season.

The Yankees are slated to have CC Sabathia ($25 million), Alex Rodriguez ($21 million), Jaime Garcia ($12 million), Matt Holliday ($13 million), and Todd Frazier ($13 million) all off the books this offseason. Additionally, Masahiro Tanaka ($22 million) can exercise his opt-out clause.

Regardless of the freed-up salary, Heyman cites people within the organization who believe the Yankees would still spend close to $30 million on free agents.