FanPost

No to Machado, yes to Harper

I’ll make this easy. Machado looks like the better add on the surface.

He can play SS until Didi returns then shift to 3B while Andujar becomes the DH. He will command a smaller pay day.

Harper plays corner OF where we already have Judge and Stanton. His willingness to play 1B is negated by the fact he doesn’t actually the position.

Like I said Machado looks like the better add on the surface

Lets dig a little deeper though

If the Yankees sign Machado, where does Andujar play? DH? 1B? OF? I can’t really see the Yankees committing him to DH, I think his footwork isn’t good enough to play. I don’t think he can play CF leaving one of the corner OF positions where you already have multiple options that actually have experience at the position. Or do they trade him for starting pitching? Do the Yankees really want to give up on Andujar at 3B after one (admittedly) horrible year defensively? I don’t. Machado seems like a short term fix while Didi is out that will eventually force the Yankees to move Andujar. Now if Machado better than Andujar? Of course his is. I’m just pointing out that signing Machado probably means the end of Andujar in pinstripes

So if the Yankees pass on Machado and sign Harper what do you get? Well you can rotate Judge Stanton and Harper between the 3 corner OF slots and DH (with Sanchez also getting DH time). For those that say Harper doesn’t fill a position of need, well they are half right, he fills no DEFENSIVE position need. Offensively he fills the big lefty bat to complement all the righty bats in the lineup. If the Yankees sign Machado the only proven lefty bat in the lineup until Didi returns is the switch hitting Hicks. (Sorry but Bird does not qualify as a proven lefty bat). Harper doesn’t fill a need defensively but he does fill a want. The Yankees would love to lighten the workload of Judge and Stanton and Harper provides enough defense to give then all a bunch of half days DHing.

So again. No to Machado yes to Harper

FanPosts are user-created content and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Pinstripe Alley writing staff or SB Nation.