MLB rumors: What Yankees’ Brian Cashman says about Bryce Harper playing 1st base

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was asked about agent Scott Boras’ statement that star free agent Bryce Harper could play first base on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 (11/6/18) at the GM Meetings in Carlsbad, Calif.

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CARLSBAD, Calif. — Could Bryce Harper be the Yankees‘ Opening Day first baseman? 

In Scott Boras‘ world — one in which he’ll do just about anything to get his clients top bucks — it could totally happen.

On MLB Network Radio on Tuesday, Boras threw a potential position change out there for his 26-year-old star outfielder.

“Bryce has the feet, hands and skill to certainly adapt to first base,” the agent said.

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Hmm.

Well, the Yankees don’t have an everyday first baseman. Harper has long been connected to the Yankees — he loves Mickey Mantle. They could certainly afford to pay him the contract of possibly more than $300 million he wants. And Harper is a bonafide star entering what should be the prime of his career with a personality that seems made for the spotlight.

What does Yankees general manager Brian Cashman think about Boras’ comment and about the possibility of Harper as a first baseman?

Cashman didn’t want to get into it.

“Do I think Bryce Harper could play first base? I don’t know,” he said at the 2018 MLB GM Meetings at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa on Tuesday. “I don’t know. Obviously he’s extremely talented and athletic.

“As I said, we’ll assess everything in the marketplace and how it might fit us. I have not not talked to Scott yet but I will try to talk to everybody while I’m here.”

The Yankees finished last season with Luke Voit as their starting first baseman and No. 3 hitter. Voit, 27, hit .333 with 14 homers and 33 RBI in 39 games after the Yankees acquired him at the trade deadline from the Cardinals. The Yankees can’t expect that type of performance again, but Voit certainly is atop the internal first base list, over Greg Bird, whose job Voit took last year.

But there’s no need to completely rule out Harper as a Yankees outfielder, either. The Yankees re-signed left fielder Brett Gardner to a one-year, $7.5-million deal, but likely to place a reduced role. Harper could slide into left field with Gardner serving as the fourth outfielder.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.