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Yankees: Insider Talks NYY’s Bryce Harper Interest if Giancarlo Stanton Trade Didn’t Happen

By Thomas Carannante

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 07: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning of a Grapefruit League spring training game on March 07, 2020 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 07: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning of a Grapefruit League spring training game on March 07, 2020 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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YES Network’s Jack Curry talks about the Yankees’ interest in Bryce Harper before the 2019 season.

When Bryce Harper was set to hit free agency after the 2018 season, Yankees fans’ dreams were that much closer to coming true, especially the offseason leading up to it. At that time, New York was waiting for the superstar to hit the open market so he could finally come to the Bronx and start winning championships.

But instead, general manager Brian Cashman traded for the reigning NL MVP, Giancarlo Stanton in 2017 and inherited (at the time), the largest contract in North American sports history. When that happened, everyone figured the Yankees would not be adding Harper alongside a $325 million contract (Harper later signed a $330 million deal with the Phillies).

But what if the Stanton deal never materialized? Would that have changed the Yankees’ thought process? Let’s see what YES Network’s Jack Curry had to say about it.

“Manny Machado, unlikely. Bryce Harper, potentially,” Curry said. He recalls fans getting angry that the team wasn’t pulling the trigger on either star, but the Yankees just weren’t interested in paying that amount of money over that long of a period of time for one of those guys. Apparently, the front office thought Stanton was worth it, however.

What’s perhaps even more notable is that the Yanks were never interested in Machado despite the countless rumors and reports suggesting otherwise. That just goes to show fans need to take all the offseason buzz with a grain of salt. Remember how much we were hearing on the Machado front?

dark. Next. 2020 Trade Deadline Targets for the Yanks

Shortly after Harper signed his deal with the Phillies, Yankees fans were dealt another blow when Mike Trout signed his record extension with the Angels, pretty much crushing any hope of the three-time MVP ever donning pinstripes.

At this point in time, fans might be a bit upset that the Yankees didn’t just spend the $330 million on Harper, who is an everyday player on both sides of the ball. Stanton, while he had a great debut season in the Bronx, is essentially a $325 million DH, especially with his injury troubles and lack of mobility.

Who would you rather, Yankee fans?

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