The New York Yankees’ lineup already is daunting with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez, but that hasn’t stopped the 2017 American League Rooke of the Year from trying to add another power bat to the Bronx Bombers.
Judge and the Yankees played a Grapefruit League game against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, and we bet you can see where this is going.
With Manny Machado set to be a free agent at the end of the 2018 season, the Yankees long have been seen as a suitor for the star shortstop’s services. So Judge gave Machado a little recruiting pitch.
“Adding him to our lineup that we’ve already got, it’d be something special,” Judge said, via Newsday. “I told him, ‘You’d look good in pinstripes.'”
But apparently, Machado didn’t bite.
“He just kind of laughed it off. Didn’t really say much,” Judge said.
The young outfielder also made a similar pitch to Stanton at the 2017 MLB All-Star Game, and the 2017 National League MVP waived his no-trade clause to join Judge this offseason.
“I said the same thing to him, too,” Judge said. “There we go.”
Machado was a hot topic of trade talk this offseason, and the 26-year-old’s name will continue to surface in rumors throughout the season whether he finishes it with the Orioles or not. Machado would bring a lot to any team between his ability to hit for both average and power, as well as field his position at a Gold-Glove level, but his presence int he Yankees’ lineup would make it video game-esque.
“He’s a heck of a player,” Judge said. “He’s been doing it for quite a few years at the best level. He’s one of the best — if (not) the best — defensive third basemen. He’s probably going to be one of the best defensive shortstops. What he brings on the offensive side of it, it’s a complete package. He’s going to be a happy man when it comes to free agency once he goes.”
For the sake of the rest of the AL, let’s hope Machado doesn’t listen to Judge.
