Yankees: Brandon Drury is way more than a stopgap to Manny Machado

Once in a generation players, like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper are just that. But with their value comes mega-contracts. The type the Yankees may not need to take on in 2019.

Before anyone gets there feathers in a ruffle, I’m not saying the newly acquired Brandon Drury is the same type of talent as Manny Machado. The purpose of this article is to prove to the masses that before we automatically label a 25-year-old with upside anything more than a “stopgap” to Machado, we need to let Drury play on the big stage that is Yankees baseball.

In all transparency, the feelings around the Twittersphere are very positive for the former D’backs’ super-utility man. I mean, why shouldn’t they be?

General manager Brian Cashman was able to acquire a player that brings a unique skillset to the table (Liam Neeson voice), filling a need right now for the Yanks for a little over $600K. That’s a massive win in my book.

The beauty of Drury is that we already have a small sample size of what he’s capable of at the big league level in a little over two years of professional duty.

And manager Aaron Boone agrees, should the Oregon native, and self-proclaimed Yankees fan as a child, get a steadier dose of innings, Drury could carve out a spot for himself for a long time to come — as told to the New York Post.

“We are excited about him. He is a guy who has already established himself a little bit at the major league level for a couple of years, but we are also getting a young player that we feel has a chance to fit in long term,’’ Boone said. “We will probably focus more on third base, where last year pretty much mostly second base in Arizona. We feel he is really going to help us. Hopefully, he is one of those guys we can help take another step and become more of an impact that has already been.’’

The arrival of Drury

Naturally, the arrival of Drury and his major league experience would lead you to believe he’ll get a leg up in camp over rookies Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar. With the understanding that Drury will see extended time at third base this spring, it allows the Yankees to begin the new season with their No.1 and No. 5 prospects back in Triple-A.

Now I’m sure this will send more than a few diehards over the edge, but let’s be honest, shall we?

Gleyber Torres only saw 23 games (81 at-bats) at Triple-A before season-ending surgery in 2017. Even if he is “a natural,” as reports would have you believe — and even if he were to have the type of spring Greg Bird did last calendar year, service time would put the kibosh on his arrival to the bigs until May.

I fully expect the 21-year-old to be a phenom, but why rush it. Let Torres knock the rust off for a month or two in Scranton. Let his play force the organization to promote him.

As for Andujar, by all accounts, his bat is big league ready. And yes, his glove looked much improved during the recent Arizona Fall League, but that’s a small sample size to go by.

Miguel Andujar has only seen 58 games (227 at-bats) at Triple-A. He’ll turn 23 on March 2 and has an extremely bright future. However, when coaches have him throwing across the diamond to first base with eyes closed, as reported by Brendan Kuty, I throw up a red flag.

What happens to Didi?

Despite what you might have heard, the Yankees’ organization is not hurting for money. They are just reprioritizing to the new approach of the business of baseball.

Now here’s the rub: according to Bob Nightengale of the USA Today, Machado wants to be a Yankee — and the feeling is mutual. It’s the main reason they didn’t bring back Todd Frazier, and never really considered free agent Mike Moustakas.

By the same token, Machado has let it be known that he fully intends to play shortstop for the remainder of his career. But the Yanks already have an All-Star caliber player in that position. His name is Didi Gregorius.

So unless Sir Didi, of his own volition, concedes that he will move to another spot in the infield, how’s this all going down? Now, sure, Manny could backpedal, and say he’s willing to head back to the hot corner for the “privilege” of playing in the Bronx.

Which inherently puts Miguel Andujar in the crosshairs of a strict DH role, while Stanton moves back to a corner outfield spot and Torres is firmly planted at second base. Or, and here’s the giant consideration, Andujar becomes expendable and therefore is trade bait!

How dare I mutter those words aloud. The Yankees trading a prospect — preposterous! But that’s the truth if Machado is brought onboard.

The bottom line is that the Yankees as an organization — and we, the fans, can’t have it all. I honestly feel general manager Brian Cashman knows that — hence the moves he’s been making over the past 18 months.

Let the 2018 season play itself out

Consider this: would you rather hold on to a cluster of top prospects and wait for them to bloom, while utilizing high-upside guys like Brandon Drury — keeping payroll flexibility for any necessary free agents come next winter?

Or, do you want to throw caution to the wind and go all in on Manny being Manny, part two?

You know, there’s always another option not many people are currently talking about. The one that sees the Orioles intelligently trading Machado before July 31 to a club he enjoys playing for — and soon after signs an extension.

There are plenty of clubs in need of an All-Star third baseman that can trade a treasure trove of prospects — the Cardinals, Braves, Red Sox and Mariners come to mind.

That would definitely less complicate things, but Brian Cashman would undoubtedly be hung in effigy (though of no fault of his own). Cashman, forever the scapegoat. Well, now that Joe Girardi is gone.

Next: How this trade exposed the truth about fans

It’s a long season, and a lot will happen between now and October. Maybe Manny gets hurt; perhaps he re-signs with the O’s (unlikely), or maybe Cashman trades for him at the deadline (even more unlikely).

Thankfully, the 2018 season should give the powers that be enough insight to make a calculated decision that is certain to enrage a portion of the fanbase this time next season. So many possibilities!