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MLB insider strongly denies ridiculous Yankees-Fernando Tatis Jr. rumors

Adam Weinrib
Adam Weinrib

Yanks Go Yard

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 02: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres looks on from his position against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the six inning at Oracle Park on October 02, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Who would you rather consult on Yankees offseason news: a trusted baseball insider who had a hand in breaking yesterday’s three-way trade between the A’s, Braves and Brewers, or a former NHL goalie-turned-radio-host-turned-fan-of-getting-New-Yorkers-riled-up?

On Monday’s episode of The Baseball Insiders podcast, FanSided’s insider Robert Murray was forced to debunk rumblings that the so-called “big move” the Yankees had planned was a Fernando Tatis Jr. trade with the San Diego Padres. 

Well, “forced to debunk” might be the wrong way to put it. Actually, Murray debunked it with glee.

According to Murray, the Padres are not shopping Tatis Jr., their $340 million man who’s currently at his lowest-ever value following a motorcycle accident and PED suspension. In fact, they plan to win the World Series with him in 2023, taking advantage of the Dodgers’ slow offseason and decision to “play the kids” with a spending spree for the ages.

In other words, no, they didn’t sign Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year deal just to trade a 23-year-old superstar at his lowest point. They want both.

Yankees will not be trading for Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr.

Sorry, former Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro. Per source, you talked to some of the wrong people over the weekend.

Tatis Jr. would be an electric Yankee if he weren’t so intrinsic to the Padres. So close.

Now, Manny Machado? That could be a different story. San Diego professes to have endless money — and they just might — but there’s a reason they offered $280 million to future Hall of Famer Xander Bogaerts has he rounds the corner and turns 30. Bogey might not be a shortstop forever, and Machado has a well-placed opt-out entering his age-31 season that he’ll likely exercise as soon as the 2023 campaign ends.

The Padres have said all the right things about retaining him, but based on Aaron Judge’s contract, Machado can turn five guaranteed years and $150 million into seven or eight years and $200+ million in the current climate rather easily.

Maybe the Yankees will get a second chance to woo a player they should’ve pushed harder for back in 2018-19. Either way, they won’t be getting even a chance with Tatis Jr.

Adam Weinrib

Adam Weinrib

Adam Weinrib is a Content Director on the FanSided network, and has been the co-editor at Yanks Go Yard for 6 years. He also co-hosts The Baseball Insiders Podcast thrice weekly, alongside FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray, as well as the Yanks Go Yard Podcast. Previously, he was a Senior Editor at 12up.com, and has been covering MLB and NFL for 10 years. He was also a headline and features contributor at ClickHole and Onion Sports, as well as the Associate Producer of the ESPN 30 for 30 film "Believeland". An avowed fan of the New York sports teams -- specifically the Yankees -- as well as the North Carolina Tar Heels, you can find Adam complaining mid-game on Twitter, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn if the game goes really poorly.