Yes, a club option with a buyout, and front loading the value, would make sense to lure Springer here.
Something like $40, $35, $25, $20, $15, and option $15 (or $5 buyout)
Yeah, I would have picked him at 1 or 2 years, but 3 years at $15M AAV is too much for a guy old enough to fall off a cliff, Matt Carpenter style, as soon as this year.
Didi 3/48 ($16 AAV)
Hendriks 3/45 ($15 AAV)
Walker 2/20 ($10 AAV)
Archer 1/9 ($9 AAV)
Value signings on shorter term contracts, free up cash when it's time to extend the core.
The other aspect is there will be other free agents available after 2021, 2022, etc. Signing a Springer and DJLM for example could limit the Jays bidding on these FA when they are top contenders (and Springer and DJLM in decline).
The original report was that if the Yankees did not resign Tanaka, he would go home i.e., he would not sign with any other MLB teams. That is the report that was debunked.