The New York Yankees are hunting for bullpen help before the trade deadline, and Mason Miller is at the top of their list. But getting him could come with a complication the Yankees likely won’t accept: taking Manny Machado’s contract too.
MLB insider Joel Sherman laid it out on MLB Network this week. He doesn’t see the Yankees agreeing to absorb Machado’s salary just to make a deal happen for Miller or even Padres lefty Adrian Morejon. Sherman called the potential price “staggering” and said he expects San Diego ends up keeping both pitchers.
That’s a problem for New York. They need arms. The bullpen has been asked to carry a heavy load all season, especially with Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger spending time on the injured list. The Yankees are 60-46 and sitting second in the AL East, but they know October requires depth they don’t totally have right now.
Miller having a monster year
Mason Miller has been one of the best closers in baseball. He’s sitting on 27 saves with a 0.82 ERA. Those numbers make him maybe the most attractive rental target on the market. He’s also picked up two wins. The guy is throwing absolute gas and teams are lining up.
The Dodgers want him. The Pirates want him. The Brewers want him. So yeah, the Yankees have competition.
The Padres know this. They’re only 53-53 and sitting third in the NL West, but they’re still very much alive for a Wild Card spot. That’s the tricky part. San Diego isn’t waving a white flag. They’d only move Miller if the return helps them right now. And they need offense badly. They’ve struggled to score all season.
Machado’s year has been weird
Manny Machado is having a strange season. He’s hitting just .210 but has 23 homers and 63 RBIs. The power is still there, but the average is brutal. For a guy making $350 million, that’s not what you want. And the Yankees probably don’t want to take on that contract just to get a closer, even a great one.
So where does that leave things? Most likely the Yankees keep pushing for Miller without Machado. The Padres keep asking for a haul. And Miller keeps dominating while the clock ticks toward the deadline.
Someone’s going to blink. It just probably won’t involve Manny Machado wearing pinstripes.
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