LAS VEGAS — New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman downplayed Monday any chatter involving his team and Bryce Harper, the hard-swinging right fielder who has been the headliner of this year’s free-agency period.
The way Cashman sees it, a crammed-full outfield and other, more pressing offseason personnel concerns leave the Yankees no place to put the widely-coveted slugger.
“No time at all all winter have I said I’m looking for an outfielder,” Cashman said. “The Harper stuff … I’m surprised you’re still asking.”
When he was first asked about Harper during a session with Yankees beat reporters on the first full day of this year’s Winter Meetings, Cashman rattled off the names of his current six outfielders (Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clint Frazier) as reasons he isn’t looking for a seventh.
So, then, would the Yankees sign Harper — who could command a total deal with $300 million or more — and get him to exchange his outfielder’s glove for a first-base mitt?
“I’m sure it’s potentially a possibility, but it’s not something that we would play on at that level with that type of money, to play somebody like that at first base,” Cashman said.
Weary as Cashman has grown of them, the questions about Harper being linked to the Yankees have persisted in earnest since New York was beaten by the eventual World Series champion Boston Red Sox back in October.
A player whose longtime Yankees fandom has been well-documented, Harper’s violent, left-handed swing seems to suit Yankee Stadium’s short right-field dimensions.
But Cashman, speaking to Yankees beat reporters on the first full day of this year’s Winter Meetings, indicated that signing Harper would not top his still extensive to-do list between now and spring training. He reiterated that his primary focuses since the end of the season have revolved around bolstering New York’s starting pitching and looking for ways to manage the loss of shortstop Didi Gregorius, who underwent Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm earlier this offseason.
Cashman said Monday he still had no specific timeline for Gregorius’ return, but did mention it might not occur until July or August.
While the Yankees may be out in the Harper sweepstakes, Gregorius’ injury has them still very much in the conversation for fellow star free agent, infielder Manny Machado.
“We were definitely focused in the marketplace on those areas of need [shortstop], and he obviously is available and solves that area of need,” Cashman said. “So not going to deny we’ve had a conversation, or two.”
Cashman said he and Machado’s agent, Dan Lozano, spoke before the Winter Meetings. Machado is reportedly planning on soon visiting the teams that are courting him in free agency.
In terms of the hole the Yankees still have in their starting rotation, free-agent J.A. Happ remains a serious option. The lefty was added during the trade deadline to bolster the flailing staff heading into the postseason. In 11 starts across the final two months of the regular season, Happ looked like the Yankees’ ace, going 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA.
“We’ll see if we all match up,” Cashman said of the talks he’s had with Happ’s representatives about a possible contract.
The focus on Happ has increased after the Yankees added James Paxton to the mix in a trade last month with Seattle, and following Patrick Corbin’s signing with the Washington Nationals last week.
Along with Happ, expect the Yankees to be involved in the race for Japanese pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, the 27-year-old one-way player who could be even better on the mound than Shohei Ohtani. Teams have until Jan. 2 to negotiate with the lefty who had a 3.08 ERA and struck out 153 batters in 23 starts for the Seibu Lions of the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization this season.
“He’s somebody worth talking about. Someone that’s worth having conversations about potentially landing. Someone that would make our or other rotations better here in major league baseball,” Cashman said of the pitcher his club has scouted extensively.