While the Phillies are headed to meet with Bryce Harper, the Phillies might have seen their chances increase to sign infielder Manny Machado. The New York Yankees already added shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to their infield. But on Friday the team added another, leading many to speculate the end of a New York Yankees Machado pursuit.
The Yankees and infielder DJ LeMahieu have agreed to a two-year deal, reported Jack Curry of the YES Network:
Yankees are closing in on a two-year deal with infielder DJ LeMahieu,
— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) January 11, 2019
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the deal is worth around $24 million.
But Curry, a long-time Yankees insider, believes that this means the Yankees are out on Machado:
I don't think the Yankees will stand up and publicly say they're out on Machado, but they're making moves that are indicating that is the case. There's been scant contact between the sides since Machado met with them.
— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) January 11, 2019
Late last night we learned that the Phillies added Machado's former infield coach.
Are the stars aligning for the Phillies? Needless to say, this will be an interesting weekend for the Phillies. The meeting with Harper might serve as an artificial deadline of sorts for Machado. The Phillies might be willing to overspend on one, but not both.
Some reports that the White Sox unwilling to move past seven years for Machado, whereas the Phillies might be willing to go a little further.
Stay tuned.
