LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 26: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after flying out during the tenth inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game Three of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 26, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
If the Yankees are going to sign a superstar this winter it will almost certainly be Manny Machado. The oddsmakers like New York’s chances to do just that.
Wednesday might be the biggest day of the Yankees offseason. It is, after all, the day when Manny Machado will come to the Bronx to experience the team’s full recruiting pitch. Expect Brian Cashman and company to pull out all the stops to convince the superstar infielder that New York is the right place for his future.
If you’re inclined to believe oddsmakers, Yankees fans should feel good about their chances to sign Machado. The latest odds for New York to acquire Machado come in at -140. That’s a significant lead over the Phillies (+185) and White Sox (+900).
In fairness, these odds can change quickly. There have been zero reports of any concrete offers to Machado by any of his suitors at this point in the process. It’s possible he’ll be willing to accept some type of discount to sign with the Yankees, but it’s always possible another team could blow him away with a financial package that Cashman wouldn’t be willing to match.
His potential fit with the Yankees isn’t perfect. Machado continues to insist he wants to play shortstop for the foreseeable future, but Didi Gregorius capably mans that position in the Bronx. On the other hand, he will miss a large portion of the 2019 season while he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
The Yankees also have a promising young player at Machado’s other potential position. Miguel Andujar finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting on the power of a massive offensive campaign. His defense remains a major question mark heading into his sophomore season, but he’s still got a lot of fans inside the organization. Giving up on Andujar after one promising season would be highly controversial.
Cashman isn’t afraid of controversy if it can make his team better. Signing Machado would clearly do that for the Yankees. Given the franchise’s current World Series drought, it’s hard to see the team passing on a generational talent like Machado unless his salary demands truly become ridiculous.