Yankees News: Bryce Harper, Manny Machado Signings Could Loom Large Amid Stanton, Andujar Injuries

The New York Yankees never came close to signing Bryce Harper or Manny Machado in free agency. The team didn’t reach out to the outfielder, and they weren’t prepared to come close to giving the infielder the contract he eventually received.

Harper’s $330 million contract from the Philadelphia Phillies was a record when it was signed in spring training, while Machado became the highest-paid infielder ever with his $300 million deal from the San Diego Padres. It’s unknown how those contracts will be viewed in a few years, but the Yankees’ unwillingness to spend big on either player will be a topic of discussion throughout the 2019 MLB season.

We’re less than a week into the new season, and the Yankees’ injuries are already piling up. It’s particularly interesting that New York could use help at the exact positions played by Harper and Machado.

In the outfield, both Aaron Hicks and now Giancarlo Stanton are on the injured list. Third baseman Miguel Andujar has a small tear in his right labrum, and the ailment could result in season-ending surgery.

The Yankees have boasted about their depth. A healthy outfield forces them to play Stanton at DH. There’s barely room in the lineup for free-agent signing DJ LeMahieu when New York’s infield is completely intact.

After only four games, it’s clear that players who were supposed to provide depth will see plenty of playing time over the next few weeks, if not longer.

“Are you serious? I think you know,’’ Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said when asked about Harper at December’s Winter Meetings, via The New York Post. “I have [Aaron] Judge, Stanton, [Jacoby] Ellsbury, [Brett] Gardner, [Clint] Frazier, [Aaron] Hicks. Ellsbury (hip surgery) will be healthy and Frazier (concussions) will be healthy.’’

“Take [Ellsbury and Frazier] them out. I have Hicks in center and Stanton, who is athletic as hell, as the DH because Judge is in right and I have Gardner in left.”

On April 2, the Yankees don’t have Hicks or Stanton. No one seems to know when Jacoby Ellsbury will be ready to play MLB games. The Yankees were forced to start Mike Tauchman, who is 28 years old and played 52 career major-league games before this season, in left field Monday.

Injuries created a hole in the infield even before the season started. The Yankees have known Didi Gregorius will miss at least half the year with Tommy John Surgery since October. New York decided to save $275 million by signing LeMahieu and Troy Tulowitzki to much cheaper contracts than what Machado got from the Padres.

Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner have argued that the Yankees decided instead to spend the bulk of their money this offseason on pitching, the team’s biggest need. J.A. Happ, Zack Britton and Adam Ottavino all got contracts that could last at least three years. New York also re-signed C.C. Sabathia to a one-year deal.

New York is projected to be one of three teams that surpasses the $206 million luxury tax threshold. The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox both have higher payrolls than the Yankees.

The Yankees reportedly had discussions about trading Andujar for a starting pitcher. New York could have upgraded both third base and the rotation by dealing last year’s AL Rookie of the Year runner-up and signing Machado.

That, of course, would’ve cost the team a lot more money.

Andujar is three years younger than Machado, and there were certainly reasons for the Yankees to be wary of giving the four-time All-Star a record-setting contract. The same goes for Harper, whose hype surpassed his actual production on the field.

New York still has one of the best rosters in baseball. They are expected to be among the top World Series contenders this season.

But if injuries haunt the Yankees all year, passing on Harper and Machado could loom large as New York tries to end a decade-long title drought.