The current teams involved in the race for Manny Machado are the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, with the New York Yankees waiting idly by as the market unravels.
Recent reports have indicated that the White Sox are offering Machado a seven-year, $175 million deal, far below his 10-year, $300 million asking price. It seems as if the teams interested in his services are driving down his market-value by offering him less-than adequate monetary compensation.
The White Sox offer to Machado is for $175 million, over seven years. In some ways, their approach is like Boston's w/ J.D. Martinez last winter — the Red Sox offered $100 million and waited for two months. If CWS offer emerges as best, a big ? is: Would Machado/NYY re-engage?
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 16, 2019
MLB teams have been keeping more money and not spending their general revenue on bringing in new high-profile players. Players like Bryce Harper and Machado should be garnering $300 million and more, but owners are keeping their investments rather than injecting it into the heart of their team.
If the price-tag for Machado remains around $175 million, the question is – do the Yankees re-engage?
New York stated earlier in the winter months that they would not surpass the $200 million mark for the superstar free agent. Being that other teams aren’t offering him more than that number, it’s certainly possible that the Yanks are quietly making deals behind the scenes.
Yankees bring in veteran support:
Despite bringing on two veteran infielders in Troy Tulowitzki and DJ LeMehieu, the team could surely use a long-term option in the infield that can hit consistently and bring two Gold-Gloves with him.
My primary concern is the longevity of the contract and if he can maintain his quality over the course of 7+ years. Historically for the Yankees, contracts of that length haven’t panned out exactly as planned, which is why signing the two veterans makes more sense and offers more immediate value.