The New York Yankees’ pursuit of Manny Machado advanced to the next level Wednesday, as the superstar infielder continued his free agency tour with a stop at Yankee Stadium.
The visit lasted 90 minutes, according to ESPN’s Coley Harvey, who added that Machado presumably spoke with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone. CC Sabathia also was spotted at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, so it’s possible the veteran pitcher played a role in the club’s sales pitch.
Machado arrived in the backseat of an SUV and was driven inside Yankee Stadium with his agent, Dan Lozano, according to the New York Post’s Dan Martin. The 26-year-old reportedly toured the ballpark and was greeted with an image of himself Photoshopped in a Yankees cap on the stadium’s scoreboard.
It’s unclear what Machado discussed with the Yankees’ contingent, but the meeting evidently went well enough for the sides to take things beyond the walls of Yankee Stadium.
USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale went so far as to say Wednesday night that the Yankees are enamored with Machado, believing he’s a perfect fit for the organization, which has landed an American League wild-card spot in three of the last four seasons but hasn’t won a division title since 2012 or a World Series title since 2009.
The Yankees have shown some restraint on the open market this offseason, first falling short in their pursuit of Patrick Corbin then losing out to their rival Boston Red Sox for Nathan Eovaldi. But perhaps they’ll go all-in on Machado, who’s one of the best players in Major League Baseball.
Machado, a four-time All-Star, met with the Chicago White Sox on Monday and was expected to meet with the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.
