Daniel Corrigan | December 22nd, 2018
In my last article, I mapped out the possibilities for where Bryce Harper will be playing next year. In that piece, I said that Harper will be a Phillie. I still think that but that could have some serious impact on Machado’s decision. I will format this the same way I did with my Harper article.
EDIT- It is important to note that I finished this blog 20 minutes before the Dodgers and Reds trade. I will give a brief update at the bottom.
The Manny Machado Sweepstakes
All season, and even off-season, we have heard that Machado wants to be a Yankee. As I’m writing this up, I keep seeing reports that Machado wants to be in pinstripes. Why not? it’s the greatest franchise in sports, its New York, he would be a mega-star in a mega-star city. It’s the perfect fit. There is one small issue, the money.
Before I proceed, let it be known I despise the Yankees. I hate New York. I’m a Cleveland kid through and through. I was at game 5 of the 2017 ALDS where the Yankees came back from 2-0 on my Indians. Too many Yankee fans, not to say all Yankees fans are bad people but the few that were by me…….oh boy. But moving on……
The problem that is coming up through all these news reports is that the Yankees will not overspend for anyone. The Yankees and Machado’s camp had dinner on Wednesday and Jack Curry of YES says that the Yankees “left Wednesday believing Manny Machado wants to be a Yankee”. The problem is that the Yankees will never overspend. Curry says that the Yankees may explore adding an 8th year to the potential contract but the belief is that the Phillies will go all out. Offering Machado a 10-year $300 million contract will be hard to resist and I don’t think the Yankees will go that high.
The only two teams I think Machado will go to are the Phillies and the Yankees. Maybe the White Sox but I really don’t see that. I will break down the choices and give my prediction.
Chicago White Sox
This is a long shot in my opinion. Machado is a big name guy. The White Sox can’t put him in the spotlight with their current roster and overall team outlook. If the White Sox can sell him on being the face of a bad franchise and give him an outrageous amount of money, then they have a shot. It’s also worth noting that Yonder Alonso, whom the Sox just picked up in a trade with the Indians, is Machado’s brother in law. Machado is young, and so are the White Sox so it will be important for the White Sox to pitch him on being the best player on an up-and-coming team.
Philadelphia Phillies
I already have Harper going to the Phillies so this would be tough to land both Machado and Harper. The Phillies have already made it known that they are going to spend the most money. They are close to being a contender in the National League. They just need one piece in my opinion. If I didn’t have Harper going to Philadelphia, I would say Machado is going to be a Phillie just based on the amount of money the Phillies are willing to spend.
New York Yankees
The Evil Empire. They are building a Death Star. Machado would fit in perfectly with this team. A player who is seen as a big ego going to the most hated team in baseball. No one tell the Yankees that the death star blows up……twice. The big city, the big names, a great ball club, what more could Machado want? Him going to the Yankees would make them instant favorites to win the World Series. Just imagine a lineup with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Manny Machado. Good luck to any team that can’t match that talent.
My prediction
In my opinion, the Phillies are going to get either Harper or Machado, but not both. Since I think Harper will go to the Phillies that leads me to believe that Machado will be a Yankee. It just makes perfect sense. It’s where he wants to be, it’s the mecca of sports, and they’re a title contender. Now if Harper goes to the Dodgers, Yankees, or even the White Sox, I think that Machado will be a Phillie. But for now, I’m going to say the Yankees will be where Machado calls home for the next 5-8 years.
WELL HOLD THE PHONE, I submitted this article and left my house for a couple hours and now we are in a whole different world. Twenty minutes after I finished this piece, the Dodgers traded Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood, and prospect Kyle Farmer to the Cincinnati Reds for Homer Bailey and prospects Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs. It is reported that the Dodgers will release Bailey. This is an obvious salary dump for the Dodgers. It’s Bryce or bust for the Dodgers. I’m still sticking with my prediction of Bryce Harper to the Phillies and Machado to the Yankees. But like I said the Phillies are getting one of the two, so if Bryce is indeed going to the Dodgers, then Machado is going to the Phillies.
So throw another log on the Hot Stove because things are getting HOT HOT HOT in the MLB. Expect a Harper signing, Kluber trade, or Machado signing in the next week or so.
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Main Credit Image: Embed from Getty Images