The New York Yankees are determined to lock in pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, even if they would break the international spending records in the process.

Yankees general manager Brian Cash is on a spending spree once again as he tries to get the world's most famous baseball club back in title contention.

"According to a source, the Yankees plan to spend $12-15 million in bonuses on international amateurs this year, which would trigger penalties of about $10-12 million per to the two-year old rules in the Collective Bargaining Agreement," via Real GM.

The total outlay the Yankees are targeting at around $25 million will easily break the record set ($15 million) by the Texas Rangers in 2011.

The Yankees, Rangers, and Dodgers are the front runners to get the Japanese pitching sensation.