MLB rumors: 5-step plan for Yankees’ Brian Cashman’s perfect offseason: Manny Machado? Bryce Harper? Patrick Corbin?

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is shopping for starting pitching in free agency, and will look at Houston Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel and Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Patrick Corbin. Cashman will also look at the best bats on the market: Manny Machado and Bryce Harper.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman wants to add a bat like Manny Machado or Bryce Harper to his lineup for 2019.

But Cashman needs to add an arm like Patrick Corbin or Dallas Keuchel to his starting rotation.

The Yankees have been linked to nearly every big-name free agent on the market.

So where should Cashman begin? 

7 under-the-radar options for Yankees

ESPN.com’s David Schoenfield lists five steps to a perfect offseason for Cashman and the Yankees:

Move No. 1: Sign Manny Machado

Sure, Machado comes with some controversy. But there’s nothing controversial about his production, with four straight 30-homer seasons. Yes, there also would be some concern about the defense on the left side of the infield with Machado and Miguel Andujar, but note that Machado’s defensive metrics at shortstop were vastly improved after his trade from the Orioles (minus-18 defensive runs saved) to the Dodgers (plus-8 DRS). With better positioning and a quality pitching staff, he should be fine at shortstop, at least for a few seasons. Andujar is young enough to improve.

Move No. 2: Sign Patrick Corbin

He’s the best pitcher in free agency, or at least the pitcher coming off the best season after a monster 2018 with the Diamondbacks in which he posted a 3.15 ERA with 246 strikeouts in 200 innings. Corbin’s strikeout rate was seventh among qualified starters and his swing-and-miss rate was tied with Cy Young winner Blake Snell for highest in the majors. For good measure, he grew up in the Syracuse area rooting for the Yankees.

Move No. 3: Trade for James Paxton

When was the last time the Yankees had a power lefty in the rotation? I guess you have to go back to the first years of CC Sabathia’s tenure. Paxton had the second-highest fastball velocity among left-handed starters at 95.4 mph, behind only Snell. He had a no-hitter, a 16-strikeout game and the fifth-highest K rate in the majors at 32.2 percent (minimum 100 innings). He has two years left of team control and would likely cost the Yankees top pitching prospect Justus Sheffield, but bringing Big Maple to the Big Apple feels like a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium.

Move No. 4: Sign Daniel Murphy

The Yankees gave 311 plate appearances to Greg Bird in 2018 and he hit .199 with .672 OPS. They also gave 398 PAs to Neil Walker and he hit .219 with a .664 OPS. That’s essentially a full-time player that added up to a whole lot of nothing. It’s time to move on from Bird — maybe he’s part of the Paxton trade — and Murphy is a perfect fit at first base, a left-handed bat who doesn’t strike out much, can pull the ball to right field for some cheap Yankee Stadium home runs and fill in at second base.

Move No. 5: Sign Bryce Harper

That’s right, in this scenario, Hal and Hank dig deep into that big bank vault of cash. Come on, we know Harper doesn’t want to sign with the Giants (right field will kill his power numbers). The Dodgers haven’t shown any inclination to sign the big free agents. The Cubs are pretty maxed out with their payroll. Philadelphia? I don’t know, I just don’t see Harper going there over the Yankees if the Yankees are interested.

…

Could all this actually happen? Sure, if the Yankees are willing to soar past the $206 million tax threshold. Hey, they had a $244 million payroll a couple of years ago. Plus, know that the Steinbrenner-led group that purchased the franchise in 1973 paid just $8.8 million for the franchise. It’s now worth an estimated $4 billion according to Forbes. Hal and Hank are sitting on billions if they ever want to sell the franchise. So they can afford a little tax even if that eats into their annual operating profit.

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