MLB Rumors: Yankees GM Brian Cashman Mum On Bryce Harper And Manny Machado, Says He ‘Can’t Speak To That’
Speaking to reporters before Saturday morning workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was cagey when it came to the topic of yet-unsigned superstar free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. He did, however, stress that he is “doing [his] job” and making inquiries with other teams, in order to ensure his team remains competitive in the upcoming season.
As detailed in a report from the New York Daily News, Cashman appeared confident in the Yankees’ roster heading into the 2019 MLB season, telling reporters that he’s sure the team’s talent level has “improved” from last year, where the Yankees went 100-62 in the regular season and lost to the Boston Red Sox in the American League Division Series. But when he was asked about Harper and Machado, Cashman chose to play it coy, issuing what Pinstripe Alley called a “gruff rebuttal” in a separate report.
“That’s more of a question for their representatives,” Cashman told reporters, as quoted by Pinstripe Alley. “I can’t speak to that.”
Instead of commenting on whether the Yankees have had talks with Machado or Harper, Cashman said that he is still in the process of “making calls and taking calls,” regardless whether these inquiries are regarding the two unsigned stars in question or other players of “significant name value.” New York Daily News further quoted Cashman as saying that it’s important for the Yankees to be “open-minded” at all times when it comes to the continued goal of improving their roster.
“We just got to work within those confines to find the best ways to make it all fit. We like what we’ve done to this point, we’re never a finished product until, at the very least, August 31.”
Yankees GM Brian Cashman with a big tease at spring camp: "We're never a finished product" https://t.co/hHzMduabfJ @Ackert_Kristie pic.twitter.com/WgP4HLBLuN
— NY Daily News Sports (@NYDNSports) February 16, 2019
In recent weeks, there has been a slew of rumors linking Bryce Harper, who has played his entire seven-year MLB career with the Washington Nationals so far, to the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants. As reported by NESN, Washington, D.C., radio host Chris Russell said on Friday that Harper has already made his decision on where to sign. Russell guessed that the 26-year-old All-Star outfielder will be signing with the Giants, but also cautioned his listeners that he still doesn’t know this for a fact.
Compared to the Phillies and Giants, the Yankees are not widely considered a favorite to land Harper, with NJ.com noting that the team has reportedly been “far less engaged” with him than they have been with Machado.
Meanwhile, the Inquisitr reported earlier on Saturday that Manny Machado, who had last played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is apparently still waiting for an MLB team to make a contract offer worth the $300 million he is expecting. While the Yankees have been recently believed to have shown interest in signing the four-time All-Star third baseman to a short-term deal, the new rumor could point to teams like the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres once again standing out as his top suitors in free agency.
