MLB rumors: Why Dodgers’ Manny Machado, Nationals’ Bryce Harper to Yankees is unlikely to happen

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman couldn’t trade for Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado or Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) non-waiver trade deadline. Cashman is expected to make a run at both of them when the sluggers become free agents after the 2018 season.

The July 31st non-waiver trade deadline came and went without Yankees general manager Brian Cashman acquiring Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper or Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado.

Harper ended up staying in D.C. while Machado went to the Dodgers.

Both players will be free agents after the season, giving Cashman another chance to reel in one or both of the sluggers.

Fancred’s Jon Heyman says Machado would love to move to the Bronx:

People close to Machado suggest the Yankees might just be his first choice. One Machado friend went so far as to say that Machado — who has professed his love for shortstop — would easily give up shortstop to play for the Yankees. If he did so, that would be reminiscent of his mentor Alex Rodriguez, another Miami wunderkind who moved to third base in order to don the pinstripes.

Machado isn’t going to give away his preferences now, particularly while playing for a different marquee franchise, but multiple people say Machado and his family — who live in Miami — are all in on their love of the Yankees and New York, which fits his big-city preference and desire to get back to the East Coast. 

Yankees report card 3/4 through the season

While Machado may want to put on pinstripes, Heyman thinks it’s unlikely either Machado or Harper will sign with the Yankees:

The fit could actually be an issue for both superstars and New York, as the Yankees seem set at shortstop and third base, and for that matter second base, and they seem especially set for corner outfielders. Those near the Yankees, who have heard about Machado’s interest in coming to New York, suggest their main need is in the rotation.

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As for Machado or Harper, the Yankees might need to make room by trading a productive player, if they were to go in that direction. The Yankees already have baseball’s two biggest slugging corner outfielders in Aaron Judge and the aforementioned Stanton, and with Clint Frazier a top prospect and the team holding a seemingly reasonable $12-million option on beloved center fielder Brett Gardner, the need wouldn’t seem to be in the outfield — though obviously, they could trade Gardner and use Stanton as a primary designated hitter.

The fit isn’t quite perfect for Machado, either, as he’s spoken lovingly of his “dream” to play shortstop the next “six or seven” years, and the Yankees love Gregorius, who has impressed by seamlessly replacing the iconic Derek Jeter while bringing a uniformly upbeat attitude to the game every day. Machado is said willing to go to third base for the Yankees — he hasn’t said this out loud, this is just the belief of his friends — but the Yankees are far from needy there, too; they have the current leading contender for Rookie of the Year at third base, Miguel Andujar.

Heyman thinks the Phillies will be a major player for both free agents in the offseason:

The team with the best chance to sign one or the other may be the Phillies, who have big bucks to spend after signing a monster TV deal that positions them to be perhaps the biggest players next winter.

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“I think Harper winds up with the Phillies,” one rival GM predicted.

One Phillies-connected person suggested he expects the team to talk to both superstar free agents, and didn’t rule out signing both — though that would seem to be a stretch. Machado is said by friends to be open to going to the Phillies, whose top executives including president Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak originally drafted him to Baltimore.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.