About that contract
MLB Trade Rumors predicts Machado will receive a 13-year, $390 million deal. He may not get that many years in these market conditions but 10+ years seems certain and the $30 million average annual value may be conservative. He’s only 26 but that’s still a massive commitment for any player.
It didn’t take long for Stanton’s contract to be viewed as an albatross and the Yankees are still on the hook paying him for nine more years. Imagine the Yankees paying a combined $55+ million to a 37-year old Stanton and 35-year old Machado in 2027! Hey, at least Jacoby Ellsbury might be off the books by that point.
More from Red Sox News
- Red Sox Nation deserves far more from Fenway Sports Group
- Bizarre trade deadline comes back to haunt Red Sox after Nathan Eovaldi departure
- Red Sox’ Moneyball-style offseason continues with Corey Kluber contract
- Rich Hill’s Red Sox departure puts him within striking distance of unique MLB record
- Red Sox offseason takes another nasty hit with Nathan Eovaldi departure
We tend to think of the Yankees as having limitless financial resources but we’ve learned over the past couple of years that this isn’t entirely true. GM Brian Cashman made a concerted effort to duck the luxury tax in 2018, in part to set up an expected splurge in free agency this winter. The Dodgers did the same. It’s clear the new repeater tax penalties in the collective bargaining agreement have altered the way even the large market teams approach spending.
Committing this much to Machado could potentially hamstring a Yankees team already paying Stanton a massive amount. They’ll be able to shed some payroll over the next few years but also have a young core that eventually will need to be locked up. It’s hard to imagine the Yankees letting Judge get away but when it comes time to pay him, with Machado and Stanton still clogging up the payroll, can they still afford Sanchez, Andujar, and Luis Severino? A tighter budget may force the Yankees to pick and choose who they can keep.