If you’re alive and cognizant of baseball’s history, then you’re aware of the Yankees’ propensity to make big acquisitions of players whose former teams could no longer afford them. Whether it was Alex Rodriguez over a decade ago or Giancarlo Stanton just a few months back, this is simply what the Yankees do and will continue to do. Even in recent years when the Yankees have “cut back” in order to avoid the luxury tax, which it appears they won’t pay for the first time this season, they’ve had one of the top payrolls in the league.
With the 2018-2019 free agent class featuring megastars like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, the Yankees will have another opportunity to flex their financial muscles. The latter of the two aforementioned players has been prominently on the Yankees’ radar. There were trade rumors swirling during the winter regarding Machado, including reports linked to the Yankees. Of course, just days ago, Aaron Judge was given a slap on the wrist for remarking to Machado that he’d look great in pinstripes. This incident is far from the end of Machado to the Yankees talk. Whether it’s the July 31 trade deadline or free agency in the fall, many will be expecting Machado to wind up in the Bronx. What kind of Yankees fan would complain about the idea of adding Machado?
I can acknowledge that Machado is the best option at the hot corner for the Yankees in the future. So can the rest of the world. Yet, the idea of an internal solution like Miguel Andujar becoming the guy at third base is very appealing to me. In the past couple of years, seeing Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Luis Severino emerge from the farm system has left me wanting more, and perhaps Andujar could be the next guy. Yes, it’s me, the ironic Yankees fan that is invested in seeing Andujar take the reigns at third base yet also celebrated the acquisition of Stanton just a few months ago.
On the other hand, I also want the Yankees to act like the Yankees. Letting Robinson Cano walk over money years ago was very unlike the way the franchise has done business historically. Openly pining to subvert the luxury tax threshold since Cano departed has been off-putting too. Getting Machado would be a sign that the old Yankees are back, promising prospects be damned.
If the Yankees don’t spend next offseason, I’m sure I’ll be grumpy. If they do get Machado, I’ll lament that Andujar will probably have to go. I probably sound like such a spoiled Yankees fan right now, but whatever.
Photo credit: Kim Klement / USA Today