With superstar free agent Manny Machado sitting on the open market, it was thought that the New York Yankees simply weren’t interested in the third baseman. Reports indicating that the Bombers hadn’t made Machado an offer arose after weeks of radio silence between the two parties.
Recently, rumors of a hefty offer being made to Machado has crept through the woodwork. The Yanks have already spent $150 million this offseason to bolster the bullpen and solidify the infield’s defense. Machado was thought to be a part of those plans, but GM Brian Cashman stated that the team wouldn’t offer him more than $200 million.
If these reports are correct, the Yankees have proposed a 7-8 year, $220 million deal. The offer is certainly aggressive, but several other teams are currently hovering around that pay-range as well, with one surpassing $220 million by a fair amount.
It could come down to which team Manny likes the most, and we know it’s a dream of his to wear the Pinstripes. With Cashman at the helm, I wouldn’t sleep on a potential deal moving forward, as he somehow manages to find a way to turn dreams into reality.
Are the Yankees really being “cheap?”
Several days ago Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner shot back at fans and reporters for coining the front-office as “cheap.”
“If there’s a narrative that we’re not spending money and being cheap, it’s just false,” Steinbrenner said Thursday, via ESPN. “I mean, we’re well above $200 million (in payroll) – we’re at $220 (million) right now – and we’re well above where we were last year.
“Fans should keep an open mind that I’m never done until I’m done, and that’s usually not until Opening Day. … Proposals come to me every day with these guys, between the analytics guys and the pro scouting guys, and I’m going to consider every single one of them.”
What Manny Machado did last season:
Machado, 26, finished 2018 with a slash line of .297/.367./.538 in 162 games. He also smashed 37 homers and earned 107 RBIs. The star player would undoubtedly contribute to a Yankees team that finished towards the bottom of the league in runs-allowed in regard to infield defense.
The former Oriole and Dodger has two Gold Glove awards to his name and could fill the void at shortstop for the foreseeable future.