The New York Yankees have been targeting Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria over the past few weeks. Yesterday, we found out that the Yankees are on Soria’s no-trade list (in addition to the Red Sox, Tigers, Phillies, Cardinals and Cubs). It got us scratching our heads as to why somebody wouldn’t want to play for the Yankees. Today, Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports fills us in on the financial motivation to NOT play in New York.

Morosi says that Soria’s $6 million contract for 2012 will vest if Soria finishes 55 games in 2011. It would be tough to finish that many games if he’s not the closer. Mariano Rivera, the current Yankees’ closer, is likely to keep that job at least through 2011 (assuming he re-signs with the Yankees after this season), so Soria will be the 8th inning setup guy at best until Rivera retires.

So the Yankees want Soria, but Soria doesn’t want to go unless he gets paid. So what are the Yankees going to do?

Morosi says that the no-trade clause will give Soria leverage to negotiate terms on his contract. A possibility would be for Soria to demand that his options are guaranteed as a part of the trade. Soria also has options for $8 million in 2013 and $8.75 million 2014.

We’ll see what happens in the next fews days as to what the Royals and Soria decide to do.