MLB rumors: Is Yankees' Hal Steinbrenner 'scared' to sign Dodgers' Manny Machado?

by Felix Pantaleón

Los Angeles Dodgers Manny Machado will be a free agent on Saturday, November 1, 2018 (11/1/18). He and Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper headline the free agent class. The Yankees are expected to pursue at least one, if not both of the sluggers as general manager Brian Cashman begins building his team for 2019.

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Manny Machado will be a free agent on Saturday. He’s expected to receive a contract which could be worth at least $300 million. But Machado did himself no favors during the 2018 playoffs, with several questionable plays on the field which could cause potential suitors to think twice about signing the 26-year-old slugger.

One of those suitors is expected to be the Yankees, especially with Didi Gregorius out after having Tommy John surgery.

Did Machado’s playoff performance scare off Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner? Here’s what he told The New York Post’s Joel Sherman:

“That kind of stuff [lack of hustle/dirty play], irregardless of who the player is, in any trade or free-agent acquisition, these are the questions we are asking,” Steinbrenner said. “The analytics, the pro scouting are always talking temperament, personality, motivation, how good a teammate someone is, do they understand what is expected of them by the New York Yankees and by the fans of New York City. It does matter, and it will be no different this year.”

He said 10-year-ish commitments — the kind likely needed to sign a Harper or Machado — haven’t “scared us in the past and won’t in the future.” He said adding Giancarlo Stanton with 10 years left on his contract last offseason would not preclude another lavish contract, noting the team has big pacts coming off the books in the next few years.

But he did say that at the team’s scouting meetings last week, players due to make considerably less than Machado were nixed for consideration because of makeup reasons.

“It is always a concern to me,” Steinbrenner said. “Hustle and work ethic is a big part of talking about a player, whether it is a $300 million or $30 million player we are talking about. It is not just Hit f/x or Pitch f/x. It is temperament. Every player we talk about, it would be one of my questions. … New York, you will have a tough time if you don’t have the temperament for it or you don’t have the temperament for how [the Yankees] insist it is done. If I thought there was a serious concern when it came to work ethic, it is my family’s and partners’ money that is being invested here. That is why it is part of every conversation. It has to be.”

Projecting Yankees’ 2019 roster

Here is a quick recap of Machado’s mishaps in the playoffs:

In the fourth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Machado didn’t hustle down the line in a groundout to shortstop, then told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, “I’m not the type of player that’s going to be ‘Johnny Hustle,’ and run down the line and slide to first base and … you know, whatever can happen. That’s just not my personality, that’s not my cup of tea, that’s not who I am.”
In the 10th inning of Game 4 of the NLCS, Machado caught the back leg of Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar while running out a ground ball. That prompted Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich to say, “It was a dirty play by a dirty player.” MLB fined Machado an undisclosed amount.
Following Game 2 of the World Series at Fenway Park in Boston, Bleacher Report posted a story which said Machado was caught trying to steal signs.
In Game 3 of the World Series, Machado dogged it out of the batter’s box on a drive to left field, thinking he had a home run. But the ball hit the outfield wall and Machado was held to a single.
In Game 4 of the World Series, Machado appeared to spike Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce.