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Red Sox shouldn’t be concerned if Manny Machado joins Yankees

By Sean Penney

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after hitting a double during the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game Three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after hitting a double during the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game Three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA - MAY 3: Manny Machado
BOSTON, MA – MAY 3: Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 3, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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

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.

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