The Yankees will reportedly meet with free agent Manny Machado during the Winer Meetings but are unwilling to pay him a $300 million contract, according to Fancred's Jon Heyman.

New York is among several teams, including the Phillies and White Sox, who are heavily interested in the 26-year-old infielder.

Many rivals, according to SNY.tv's Andy Martino, believe the Yankees will be contenders to land Machado despite the idea that they are "lukewarm" on signing him following his "Johnny Hustle" comments.

The Yankees will reportedly not in serious trade talks with the Marlins for catcher J.T. Realmuto, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said last week that a report that indicated the Yankees were considering trading Gary Sanchez and replacing him with Realmuto "completely false" and reaffirmed his assertion that Sanchez, despite his struggles at the plate in 2018, was the team's starting catcher.

Didi Gregorius is a gamer.

It's hard to argue otherwise after the Yankees' shortstop said he knew he'd need surgery the second his right elbow popped in ALDS Game 2 at Fenway Park, according to New York Post's Ken Davidoff.

Ian Kinsler drove a deep double that ricocheted off the Green Monster in the seventh inning. Andrew McCutchen, new to the American League and the pesky towering wall, misplayed the ball. In an attempt to prevent Mitch Moreland from crossing home plate, Gregorius quickly hurled the ball toward home before Miguel Andujar cut off the throw from the infield. Despite the immediate pain, Gregorius kept playing. 

"I already knew [surgery would be needed] as soon as it happened on that play in Boston," Gregorius told New York Post on Saturday. "I already knew it was going to happen. I told them I'm playing; I don't care what they say."

Heading into the Winter Meetings next week, the Yankees' competition for top free agent INF Manny Machado looked to be the Phillies and White Sox. However, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal is hearing that isn't the case. 

Rosenthal was told by a rival executive that "at least three other teams" have every intention to meet with Machado's agent, Dan Lozano, at some point during the meetings. Who those three teams are remain a mystery, but they will soon come to light as the meetings unfold. 

The Yankees have been linked to Machado, but the team itself hasn't made it clear that they will be aggressive toward signing him. However, SNY's Andy Martino reported rival executives thinking Cashman is just being sneaky, and the team will ultimately be in the running for him...

Viva, Las Vegas!

The Yankees struck quickly this offseason, acquiring James Paxton in a trade with the Mariners, but failed to lock down their perceived No. 1 free agent starting pitcher target in Patrick Corbin. However, a splash in Sin City could punctuate the team's offseason and indicate long-term direction of the organization.

Here are three things that should be on the Yankees' Winter Meetings checklist.

Hey, Yankees fans: Can we stop hitting the panic button please?

After the Nationals signed LHP Patrick Corbin to a six-year, $140 million deal (which is way too much), all hell broke loose on social media with fans spewing out backlash -- some even saying the entire offseason was a "failure" because GM Brian Cashman was outbid for the coveted lefty. And those knee-jerk reactions continued when Nathan Eovaldi re-signed with the division-rival Red Sox. 

For those of you that indulged in these talks, go grab a paper bag, stress ball, or whatever makes you calm down. These two signings doesn't mean it's the end of the world for the Yankees in 2019...

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees passed on Patrick Corbin, smartly so at the price the Nationals paid, and now Nathan Eovaldi is heading back to the Red Sox. So where does Brian Cashman turn for starting pitching?

The obvious move is J.A. Happ, but if Cashman wants to gamble a bit on the potential for greater October dominance, as he did in trading for James Paxton, Trevor Bauer can be had at a bargain price.

For the Nationals, expectations are low when it comes to free agent Bryce Harper donning a curly white 'W' on his cap next season. So low, in fact, that Nationals owner Mark Lerner doesn't "expect [Harper] to come back at this point," he said Friday on 106.7 The Fan FM in Washington.

Back in late September, Lerner reportedly offered Harper $300 million over a 10-year span in an aggressive effort for the 26-year-old to remain Washington. Now, Lerner can imagine Harper's top MLB agent, Scott Boras, pulling strings for a larger deal with a different team.

"Well, when we met with them and we gave them the offer, we told them, 'This is the best we can do.' . . . If he chooses to go some place else, I totally understand it, but we put one heck of an offer out there . . . If he comes back [to negotiate with Washington], it's a strong possibility that we won't be able to make it work. But I really don't expect him to come back at this point. I think they've decided to move on."

This is as much of a hint as any for the Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman, who passed on left-hander Patrick Corbin, to go after the six-time All-Star outfielder just ahead of the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas on Monday.

After signing Seattle ace James Paxton and passing on left-hander Patrick Corbin, the Yankees are looking to match their AL East rival Red Sox with a big offseason move. With the Winter Meetings right around the corner, things are about to heat up for New York.

Left-hander J.A. Happ is reportedly next in line for a potential deal as the free agent market intensifies. Who else are the Yankees willing to give up -- AL ROY finalist Miguel Andujar or a handful of minor league prospects -- to amplify their roster?

While throwing out trade scenarios for both the Mets and Yankees during "Baseball Night in New York," SNY's trade analyst Adam Fisher -- a former Senior Director of Baseball Operations for the Mets -- gave his stance on a potential Corey Kluber trade...

The Yankees were reportedly "absolutely convinced" RHP Luis Severino tipped his pitches in 2018, most notably in Game 3 of the ALDS.

There seems to be some video that backs up that claim.

Severino's arm slot did not changed based on the pitches he threw, according to USA TODAY's Andrew Joseph, however when he got into the set position, his hands rested higher up on his belt for fastballs than it did on his off-speed pitches, according to YES Network.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV Facebook | Twitter | About Me | Archives

Here is an update of rumors surrounding the Yankees' free-agent and trade pursuits, followed by my take on how things currently stand and may shake out.

Happ market intensifies after latest free agent target signs

Nathan Eovaldi, in whom the Yankees apparently showed some interest, signed with Red Sox Thursday. According to SNY's Andy Martino, this leaves the Yankees -- and others -- looking at J.A. Happ as next in line for a potential deal.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees passed on Patrick Corbin, smartly so at the price the Nationals paid, and now Nathan Eovaldi is heading back to the Red Sox. So where does Brian Cashman turn for starting pitching?

The obvious move is J.A. Happ, but if Cashman wants to gamble a bit on the potential for greater October dominance, as he did in trading for James Paxton, Trevor Bauer can be had at a bargain price.

The Yankees have shown interest in free agent utility player Josh Harrison, according to Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports.

The 31-year-old Harrison mostly played second base this past season, which SNY's Chris Carelli has noted is an area of need if Yankees GM Brian Cashman passes on free agent Manny Machado and instead shifts 2B Gleyber Torres to shortstop in Didi Gregorius' absence. 

Harrison, a two-time All-Star and eight-year Pirates veteran, has been linked to the Yankees in past trade rumors.

The Yankees saw the free-agent pitching market get smaller on Thursday, as RHP Nathan Eovaldi re-signed with the Red Sox on a four-year, $67.5 million deal pending a physical. This comes after LHP Patrick Corbin agreed to a lucrative six-year, $140 million deal with the Nationals on Tuesday.

And due to these rotation arms signing back-to-back, another Yankees target in LHP J.A. Happ is seeing his own market intensify, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

The Yankees have had the 36-year-old Happ on their radar after producing stellar outings during the second half with the pinstripes. Happ owned a 7-0 record and 2.69 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP over his 11 starts.

The Yankees lost out on another pitching target they were pursuing.

RHP Nathan Eovaldi, to whom the Yankees turned their attention after missing out on the Patrick Corbin sweepstakes earlier in the week, will re-sign with the Boston Red Sox on a four-year, $67.5 million deal pending a physical, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

Eovaldi went 6-7 with a 3.81 ERA last season with the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, but stood out in the playoffs that led to him being one of the more sought-after free agents this offseason.

No Patrick Corbin, no problem for Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

Boone said Wednesday on ESPN's The Michael Kay Show that he's happy with the current look of the Yankees rotation after the top free agent starter signed a six-year, $140 million megadeal with the Nationals a day prior.

"Absolutely," Boone said. "I feel like we're trying to improve now on the margins. We know we have the players capable of winning the ultimate prize and we can do that now. Now, it's a little more difficult, obviously we need players to emerge, to step up, for things to happen. But absolutely, we have the nucleus already in place to be an elite team again."

Alex Rodriguez can now add podcast host to his resume. 

The former Yankees third baseman will launch a podcast with Barstool Sports called "The Corp" on Thursday, which was officially announced by Rodriguez and his co-host, Dan "Big Cat" Katz on Barstool's "Pardon My Take" podcast early Wednesday morning. 

It is the latest media venture for Rodriguez, who is also a commentator for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball and analyst for Fox Sports

Andy Martino, SNY.tv

The Yankees liked free agent Patrick Corbin, and he liked the Yankees. But in the end, the team wasn't willing to be as aggressive as the Nationals or Phillies in pursing the lefthander, and refused to budge from a five-year offer, according to major league sources.

Corbin received a six-year deal from Washington, as the Washington Post was first to report.

The Yankees were actively pursuing free agent starting pitching target Patrick Corbin, but he found a new home in the National League instead. 

Corbin reportedly agreed to a six-year deal, $140 million with the Nationals on Tuesday barring a physical, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed.

Martino noted the Yankees were not willing to go six years in their potential deal for Corbin, which is why they missed out when Washington delivered on that front. However, since the Yankees dealt for James Paxton earlier this offseason, they didn't necessarily view Corbin as an urgent priority.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | Never, since the beginning of this offseason, have we asserted that the Yankees will not sign Bryce Harper. You learn very early in covering this game that to rule out the Yanks on a major acquisition is a risky stand to take.

But what we did report after the World Series was that the Yankees front office emerged from their pro scouting meetings not planning to pursue Harper. And as of Tuesday, that has not changed one bit, according to major league sources.

That answer came after a Yahoo! Report that the Yankees were "among upward of a dozen teams that have traveled or plan to travel to Nevada to meet with Harper."

Yankees GM Brian Cashman is still working hard to ship Sonny Gray out of the Bronx, and there are reportedly a couple teams interested in a trade.

Milwaukee and San Diego have spoken to the Yankees about acquiring Gray, a source confirmed to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, joining a long list of teams that have inquired about the 29-year-old starter. 

SNY's Andy Martino has noted that Cashman is waiting for "the right deal," as at least 11 teams have reportedly checked in with him. Cashman tendered Gray a contract this past Friday, but the pitcher is expected to be wearing another uniform before the 2019 season.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | When it comes to the Yankees and free agent stars, you never say never. But here are the facts about the team and this year's prizes, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado: Nothing much has happened, at least not yet.

At the end of the season, we reported that the Yanks were lukewarm on Machado, in part because of his offseason performance and "Johnny Hustle" comments. Hal Steinbrenner later confirmed that, and the team is weighing what to do. If the Yankees sign Machado, it will be despite the concerns of some of their baseball people.

Meanwhile, many rivals believe that the Yanks will ultimately pursue Machado. "Cash is on him, believe me," says one rival executive.
Our read is actually that a potential Machado pursuit could be more a function of ownership's urgency to eclipse the defending champion Red Sox.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV Facebook | Twitter | About Me | Archives: Here is an update of rumors surrounding the Yankees' free agent and trade pursuits, followed by my take on how things currently stand and may shake out...

Cashman says Sanchez for Realmuto rumors are "completely false"

Fancred's Jon Heyman reported last Thursday that the Yankees, among several clubs, had expressed some level of interest in All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto. However, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said Sanchez is not available. Cashman believes Sanchez is not only going to be the Yankees catcher for a long time, but going to be a superstar in the role.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman dismissed the Gary Sanchez trade rumors, said he didn't know when Patrick Corbin would make a decision on where he would sign and commended the Mets for acquiring Robinson Cano.

Cashman called a report that suggested the Yankees were showing interest in Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto to replace Sanchez "completely false," according to the New York Post's George A. King III.

"I saw that somebody had written that we had offered for Realmuto," he said. "That is completely false.''

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV Facebook | Twitter | About Me | Archives: The Yankees have reportedly been engaged with the Marlins about making a trade for All-Star backstop, J.T. Realmuto, which minimally suggests that New York is getting antsy with its 26-year-old catcher.

Passed ball after passed ball, wild pitch after wild pitch, all that Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez had produced with his bat since his call-up in 2016 began to fade away in 2018. As the lethal offense screeched to a virtual halt, the wheels seemingly began to spin for the Yankees' front office in reference to Sanchez's future with the club.

It is understandable for the Yankees to question Sanchez's future, but here is why the organization should not trade him in a deal for Realmuto...

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | The situation with the Yankees and free agent starting pitching targets Patrick Corbin and J.A Happ appears on track to resolve itself within a week or less. 

The Yankees met with Corbin in New York on Thursday, but the sides were not close to a deal after. There continues to be strong mutual interest between the player and team.

But the Phillies are also aggressively pursuing Corbin, and the Yankees may still like Happ as an alternative, according to major league sources.

After the New York Yankees had their postseason in 2018 ended in four games at the hands of their AL East rival Boston Red Sox, it seems the Bronx Bombers could be playing catch-up on the hot stove market as well.

Following the premature exit in the playoffs, one of the top priorities is solving the team's bullpen situation in the offseason. Two names atop that list, free-agent relievers David Robertson and Zach Britton, have apparently drawn some interest from the chief rivals of the Bronx Bombers -- the Boston Red Sox. 

That's the reporting coming courtesy of the New York Post's George A. King III, who spoke with a source familiar with Boston's interest in the two former Yankee relievers.

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On Friday, the Yankees tendered all 40 contracts on their 40-man roster. However, one of those players that was tendered a contract is expected to be out the door soon.

GM Brian Cashman has made it clear he is working hard to trade RHP Sonny Gray, and get a good package in return for the 28-year-old. Since Gray came over in 2017, he has fallen short of his expectations, and the Yankees want to find him a new home where he will hope to resurrect his dominance on the bump.

And the Yankees have several suitors around the league for Gray. SNY's Andy Martino noted Cashman saying "a lot of teams" were inquiring about Gray, but he wanted to wait for "the right deal." There are reportedly 11 teams on the list, with the Reds and A's among them.

Patrick Corbin's family may be helping the Yankees make their recruiting pitch, but Brian Cashman realizes it ultimately will not be a deciding factor. 

The Yankees GM dismissed the notion that Corbin's family -- Yankees fans from upstate New York -- could help steer him toward the Bronx. 

"I think their Yankee allegiances are appreciated," Cashman told Ken Davidoff of the New York Post on Friday. "But usually in this process, the thing that's most important is ... the financial opportunities that exist at various locales weight heavily in the decision-making process."

With the non-tender deadline at 8 p.m., the Yankees wasted no time tendering contracts to all nine of their arbitration-eligible players, the team announced Friday.

The list of players includes Luis Severino, Aaron Hicks, Dellin Betances, Greg Bird, Austin Romine, Didi Gregorius, Tommy Kahnle, Sonny Gray and newly-acquired starter James Paxton. 

If there was a surprise out of any of these players, it is certainly Kahnle, who is expected to earn $1.5 million in arbitration. The Yankees couldn't trust Kahnle last season, as he struggled with velocity and location issues. He had to take a stint in Triple-A to work through his issues, and eventually made his way back in pinstripes toward the end of the season...

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV Facebook | Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees have reached the offseason many believed would see them make monumental moves that push them back to the head of the pack in the American League as they aim for a 28th World Series title.

Here is an update of rumors surrounding the Yankees pursuits, followed by my take on how things currently stand and may shake out.

Friday is non-tender deadline day, and like the Mets, the Yankees have nine players who are eligible for salary arbitration.

While Yankees GM Brian Cashman will surely offer arbitration to the majority of the list, there is one who could be looking at free agency: Tommy Kahnle.

The righty reliever is projected to earn $1.5 million after making $1.3 million this past season, according to MLBTradeRumors

A member of the Corbin clan apparently wants top free agent Patrick to be the toast of the Bronx.

A person who attended Corbin's Nov. 17 wedding in Scottsdale, Arizona, told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal that the starter's younger brother "gave a best-man speech and at the end took out a Yankees hat and put it on, which elicited a great applause, and said they all hoped that he and Jen would be moving closer to home."

Patrick Corbin, who grew up in Upstate New York and attended high school near Syracuse, visited the Yankees in the Bronx on Thursday after meeting with the Phillies on Tuesday. Corbin's interest in the Yankees is both strong and mutual, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

Add the Yankees to the long list of teams reportedly interested in Marlins catcher and potential Mets target J.T. Realmuto.

The Yankees have "showed interest" in trading for the 27-year-old All-Star, according to FanCred's Jon Heyman. The Astros and Dodgers are among other clubs who have had their eyes on Realmuto.

Derek Jeter and the Marlins appear to want Gary Sanchez in a big package that would need to include another top player from the Yankees, Heyman reported. Despite Sanchez's dismal 2018 season, that price would reportedly be too high for the Yankees.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees are meeting with free agent pitcher Patrick Corbin Thursday, and interest between the two parties remains very strong, according to major league sources.

Corbin also has strong suitors in the Phillies and to some extent the Nationals, with whom he has already met this week. The Mets are on the periphery, because they would likely have to deal Noah Syndergaard before signing Corbin.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV Facebook | Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees are looking to settle their starting rotation, add bullpen help and then determine if one of the mega stars on the free agent market fits the roster. Here is an update from each of those areas, followed by my take on how things currently stand and may shake out...

Corbin's tour arrives at Yankee Stadium

After a visit to the Phillies on Tuesday, free agent LHP Patrick Corbin will travel to the Bronx to meet with the Yankees on Thursday, per The Post's Joel Sherman.

The Yankees are still looking to add to their rotation after last week's trade for Mariners lefty James Paxton, and Corbin is their most likely target, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

Corbin went 11-7 with a 3.15 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with the Diamondbacks this past season, striking out a career-high 246 batters in 33 starts (200 innings).

Miguel Andujar has won his consolation prize -- and the Yankees want Shohei Ohtani to know it.

After losing the American League Rookie of the Year award to the Angels' two-way phenom, Andujar was voted by his fellow major leaguers as AL Outstanding Rookie on Tuesday.

The Yankees tweeted their congratulations to their third baseman on Wednesday while throwing a jab at Ohtani.

The Yankees are looking to acquire one more high-end starting pitcher, and postseason legend Madison Bumgarner is being dangled by the Giants in trade talks. 

Bumgarner, 29, has one year at $12 million remaining on his deal, and the Giants are likely to seek "at least one high-end pitching prospect" in any deal for him, reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com, who says the Phillies and Brewers have interest. 

San Francisco's desire for a high-end pitching prospect could be an issue if the Yanks pursue Bumgarner since they just traded their top pitching prospect (and one of the best pitching prospects in baseball) Justus Sheffield to the Mariners in the deal for James Paxton.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV Facebook | Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees want to get out from under Jacoby Ellsbury's remaining contract, so of course it makes sense to trade him if the opportunity arose. However, if the swap brings Robinson Cano, the result might be a longer and potentially more damaging agreement on the books.

Ellsbury is owed just over $42 million over the next two seasons with a $21 million option for the 2021 season ($5 million buyout), while Cano has the Mariners on the hook for five more seasons at $120 million. So, in terms of straight money alone, the Yankees would be adding a hefty contract that spans three years beyond Ellsbury's commitment. This doesn't seem to align with the Yankees' current methodology...

SiriusXM and MLB Network personality Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo explains why the Yankees will be hesitant to trade for Robinson Cano, who the Yanks haven't ruled out trading for.

The Phillies are hosting lefthanded starter and Yankees free agent target Patrick Corbin at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.

Philadelphia does not currently have a deal in place with the 29-year-old, and it is instead a recruiting visit, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed.

The Yankees are still looking to add to their rotation after last week's trade for Mariners lefty James Paxton, and Corbin is their most likely target, according to Martino.

While talks between the Yankees and Mariners on a potential Robinson Cano for Jacoby Ellsbury trade fizzled, the Yanks haven't ruled out revisiting a trade for Cano, reports SNY's Andy Martino. 

The Yanks and Mariners having "briefly" discussed a potential Cano/Ellsbury trade earlier this offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. 

According to Rosenthal, the Ellsbury/Cano idea talks -- with the Yankees wanting "significant" money included going back to them -- never got serious...

The Toe-night Show has been cancelled. 

Ronald Torreyes, also known as 'Toe,' was designated for assignment on Monday by the Yankees in order to claim RHP Parker Bridwell off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. 

The 5-foot-6 utility infielder was a fan favorite because of his small stature often juxtaposed next to the 6-foot-7 Aaron Judge, but also because he was an effective fill-in off the bench. 

Before trading him to the Mariners in the deal for James Paxton, the Yankees were "pushing" LHP prospect Justus Sheffield in trade talks with the Diamondbacks for 1B Paul Goldschmidt, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

Olney notes that the Diamondbacks are "intent" on trading Goldschmidt, with the Cardinals and Astros among the interested teams. 

The Yankees could use an upgrade at first base, where Luke Voit is the incumbemt -- with Greg Bird also an option.

The Yankees are looking to add one more starting pitcher this offseason, with free agent J.A. Happ on the list. But there is plenty of competition for the 36-year-old.

The Angels, Astros, Blue Jays, Brewers, and Phillies are among the other teams that have interest in Happ, according to MLB.com's Jon Morosi. 

While Happ is on the Yankees' list to round out their rotation after re-signing CC Sabathia and trading for Seattle ace James Paxton, fellow free agent Patrick Corbin is the most likely target, with Dallas Keuchel also in the mix, according to SNY's Andy Martino. 

New Yankees starter James Paxton is not the least bit fazed by the challenge of pitching in New York -- and some former Yankees are making sure he feels right at home in The Bronx.

The 30-year-old left-hander, who was acquired in a trade with the Mariners involving Justus Sheffield, actually thinks he will thrive in the bigger spotlight.

"There's a lot more intensity than there was in Seattle, the rivalry with Boston and stuff like that," he said, per the Daily News. "But I'm kinda looking forward to that kind of energy. I feel like I can feed off that energy and it's going to take me to another level, take me in a positive way. I know there's a lot of stories about guys coming in and having troubles, but I think there's an equal number of stories of guys coming in there and doing great."

Hal Steinbrenner expects a meeting with Manny Machado and he will likely get one. 

In an interview that will air on the YES Network on Monday, the Yankees owner reiterated his comments from the owner's meetings that it is "essential" for Machado to discuss his "Johnny Hustle" remark with ownership before offering the slugger a mega contract. 

"There needs to be a sit-down before we're comfortable," Steinbrenner said.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV Facebook | Twitter | About Me | Archives

Black Friday marks the biggest retail-shopping day of the holiday season because of the heavy discounts taken off many goods. Who are some middle infielders on the free agent market that could represent bargains for the Yankees?

The Yankees may eventually jump headfirst into the Manny Machado sweepstakes, but if they don't, each of the players we'll review (taken alphabetically below) might represent credible alternatives to the roster, and in some cases could be added even if they sign Machado.