The Yankees plan to offer salary arbitration to free-agent right-hander Javier Vazquez, but not because they want to retain him.

Vazquez, a Type B free agent, has agreed to reject the Yankees' offer, enabling the team to collect a supplemental draft pick between the first and second rounds when he signs with another team, major-league sources say.

Teams frequently make such gentleman's agreements with Type B free agents. No harm is done to the signing team, which doesn't lose a pick for signing a Type B player.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman enjoys a strong relationship with Vazquez's agents, Sam and Seth Levinson. Vazquez likely would receive a raise from his $11.5 million salary if he accepted arbitration, but Cashman wouldn't make the offer without receiving assurances from the Levinsons that Vazquez would reject the one-year, non-guaranteed deal and remain on the open market.

The Nationals and Marlins are among the teams pursuing Vazquez.

-Ken Rosenthal