![]() ![]() Steinbrenner authorized going over the tax in 2019, but OK’d a play to diversify by re-signing Zack Britton, J.A. There were those in the organization who saw that as a year-early maneuver: obtaining the reigning NL MVP now to avoid dealing with Harper and Machado 12 months later.Ĭlay Holmes parked in Yankees’ pen with game on line despite being ‘ready to go’ By having the Marlins eat $30 million and take Starlin Castro, however, the addition was just $13.4 million toward the 2018 luxury tax of $197 million, which Hal Steinbrenner had vowed to stay under. The previous offseason, after being spurned by Shohei Ohtani, the Yankees took on the 10 years left of Giancarlo Stanton’s 13-year, $325 million deal. They worried about the maturity of both players. Getty Imagesīut the Yankees had reservations. Bryce Harper poses for a picture with his wife Kayla and his two children after the Phillies’ NLDS-clinching victory over the Braves. What made them so attractive, beyond their talent and starpower, was that they were younger (Machado by three months and Harper by six) than Aaron Judge, who still wasn’t even arbitration eligible. Still, Harper and Machado - the jewels of that class - remained, and in the years-long lead-up it felt impossible that the Yankees would not sign one. Injury diminished the values of Josh Donaldson and Matt Harvey, among others. ![]() Charlie Blackmon, Clayton Kershaw and Jean Segura signed extensions. Tragically, Jose Fernandez died in a boating accident in late September 2016. But that group did not have quite as much luster as expected when the bidding arrived. It was believed they were prepping for an anticipated galactic free-agent class. You may recall the Yankees, who are now on the brink of elimination, lowered their payroll from 2016 to 2017 and again from 2017 to 2018 - both times falling beneath the first luxury-tax threshold. One of their modest free-agent signings, DJ LeMahieu, outplayed both Harper and Machado.īut as the 2022 playoffs proceed and Harper, with the Phillies, and Machado, with the Padres, have been central to upstart postseason runs to the NLCS, it does trigger reflection. I thought it was reasonable that they passed on Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, and they did go on to win 103 games and the AL East in 2019. Though, personally, I did not tell the Yankees so in the 2018-19 offseason. Modern MLB minimizes individual pitching feats that grow audienceĬLEVELAND - What follows is Monday-morning quarterbacking tinged with 20/20 hindsight with a nice dollop of “I told you so.” Mets' best free agent options if Brandon Nimmo proves too costlyĮdwin Diaz's record contract is worth the risk for MetsĪstros are best MLB team in this era - like it or not Four ex-Mets, Yankees have surprisingly become hard-sells in MLB free agency ![]()
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