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Yankees will be ‘in early’ on Cliff Lee, source says, will face competition from Angels and Rangers

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Two years ago, the Yankees started the free agency period with a blockbuster offer to CC Sabathia that helped pave the way to signing the big lefty. After the clock strikes midnight Saturday night, they could take a similar approach with another alluring lefthander – Cliff Lee.

But while the Yankees believed there were multiple serious suitors for Sabathia and they wanted to wow their competition with a $140 million offer that was then the biggest-ever for a pitcher, they now believe the Texas Rangers are their only real rivals for Lee. There is, perhaps, less urgency to make a preemptive strike.

Still, the Yankees “will be in early with Lee,” said a baseball official with knowledge of their plans. “I don’t know if they’ll make an offer right away, but they’ll be in quickly.”

Full story: Yankees will be ‘in early’ on Cliff Lee, source says, will face competition from Angels and Rangers