Manny Machado to visit New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies this week


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 17-12-2018 21:43 IST | Created: 17-12-2018 21:34 IST

Manny Machado plans to visit the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies this week with additional teams lining up for weekend appointments.

Machado's agent said Machado will be at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday and Citizens Bank Park with the Phillies on Thursday.

Machado, 26, reportedly is seeking at least a 10-year, $300 million contracts.

The Yankees will be without shortstop Didi Gregorius until about midseason as he recovers from Tommy John surgery in October. Machado also can play third base.

The Phillies are also thought to be one of the leaders in pursuit of free agent Bryce Harper. Philadelphia admitted to making a trade bid for Machado last summer, when the Baltimore Orioles acquired multiple prospects from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a July trade.

Harper is not planning a free agency tour but instead allowing agent Scott Boras to set up meetings on Harper's turf. He met with the Dodgers and other teams in his hometown of Las Vegas last week.

Machado will be entering his eighth season in 2019, wherever he lands. He played the first 6 1/2 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, who shipped him to Los Angeles Dodgers at the trading deadline in July.

Last season, he totalled 37 home runs and 107 RBIs, but he was the target of criticism in the postseason for his apparent lack of hustle.

Phillies general manager Matt Klentak was noncommittal last week as he left the winter meetings about his team possibly pursuing high-priced free agents Machado or Harper.

"I don't know what the markets are going to turn out to be,'' Klentak told USA Today. "If it makes sense for this franchise, we'll pursue it. If it doesn't, we have to have a walk-away point, because to not have that, is bad business.

"Do we want to do everything we can to compete for the playoffs in 2019? Of course. Are we going to mortgage our future to do that? Probably not.''

Other teams waiting for face time with Machado including the Chicago White Sox, who attempted to acquire Machado last offseason. Last week, the White Sox might've upped their odds to land Machado by acquiring his brother-in-law, Yonder Alonso, from the Cleveland Indians.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Machado is a player Los Angeles wants back, and the franchise remains in contact with Machado.

 

(With inputs from agencies.)

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