Yankees Rumors: Bryce Harper and Manny Machado prefer NY over PHL

As the new year approaches and we continue to wait for the two biggest free agent dominoes to fall, Joel Sherman reports that both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado would prefer to play for the Yankees over the Phillies.

Naturally, when the Yankees fall short in the playoffs, it makes the offseason feel that much longer. So while last December brought us Giancarlo Stanton and all the fascination of adding his robust bat to an already potent lineup, now we “patiently” wait for another giant acquisition.

While reports suggest that four-time All-Star, Manny Machado will likely choose his next employer after Jan. 1, it is unknown if any club, including the Yanks, have yet to extend a contract offer.

However, on Wednesday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote that neither Machado or fellow free agent slugger, Bryce Harper, is all that enamored with the idea of playing for the Phillies.

"“Word is neither player particularly likes Philadelphia and both would have preferred the Yankees, who have shown little interest in Harper.”More from Yankees RumorsMLB insider claims favorite emerging in Bryan Reynolds rumors (not Yankees)No, Yankees should not acquire Trevor Bauer for 2023Surprising stat could breed Yankees-Reds deal at 2023 trade deadlineIs anybody going to sign Aroldis Chapman away from Yankees?Did Andrew Benintendi contract help Yankees with Ian Happ trade?"

A simple assumption is that this is each players’ representation merely driving up the asking price for all clubs outside the Bronx. Considering Harper’s super-agent is Scott Boras, this is standard operating procedure. And while Sherman’s statement is vague, perhaps both players genuinely want to play for a contender while at the same time, getting paid handsomely.

For enthusiastic Yankee fans, this signals the idea of signing both 26-year-old superstars. But as much as we’d enjoy adding two immediate threats on both sides of the ball, The Boss is no longer with us. Instead, we’ve got Hal and Hank Steinbrenner — and if the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that fiscal restraint is the new club motto.

With general manager Brian Cashman and his crew doing a stellar job of grooming and promoting prospects, in addition to making timely acquisitions, the Yankees continue to stay in contention without acting like it’s 1999.

Although I agree that the state of the game has changed free agency, I don’t understand those that feel adding Machado or Harper wouldn’t make the club better. These are generational talents we’re talking about here!

Yes, I too would love to have Corey Kluber or Madison Bumgarner atop the starting rotation, but that trade would likely cost Miguel Andujar, Estevan Floral and some other top prospects. Guaranteed, most fans immediately take to Twitter with pitchforks if that were to go down.

While Machado and Harper will undoubtedly command massive contracts that would financially choke somewhere around 24 MLB teams, this is the Yankees — the same club that preached staying under the $197M luxury tax threshold as a way to reset the penalty and make a big splash in free agency this offseason.

Although the Yanks’ philosophy no longer includes spending “stupidly,” like the Phillies have intended to do this winter — at least of one of these game-changers need to be in pinstripes come Spring Training. And now that we know, at the very least, that the pair prefers New York to Philly, it’s time to reel one in before Chicago or Los Angeles do.