New York Yankees: Yanks projected lineup without Manny Machado is still fantastic

As the days tick on, the chances of Manny Machado coming to the Yankees begin to tick off. While ‘losing out’ on Machado seems like a burn, it quite frankly might not matter with how great the Yanks lineup will be anyway.

The cat has been out of the bag for some time now in regards to Manny Machado not coming to the New York Yankees.

It is not often a player of his caliber hits the market, it is even less often that the Yankees are not a serious threat to land them.

However, the Yankees are now unlikely to land Manny Machado. While the repercussions of that in the long-term remain a mystery, we know what it does for the short-term.

Spring training is just mere weeks away now and I’m glad the Yankees seem to already know their fate in regards to who their shortstop will be in 2019.

However, eight other players also share the diamond with the man up the middle. The Yankees are filled with elite players all around.

Machado would not have been the guy to build around, but the guy who was simply just great to have.

It is now projected that Manny could get around eight years and likely over $200M.

While that seems like a bargain from the ballpark guess of the 10 years $300M that some people were giving him this summer, it is a lot of money.

For the Yanks to give a guy who would have just been great to have would have felt wasteful.

It would be better for baseball for Manny Machado to be the face of a franchise that actually needs him.

Aaron Judge is already the foreseeable face of the Yankees.

But, we don’t even need to talk about the long-term, we need to talk about the now.

To say Manny Machado would have been the guy to finally get the Yankees out of the AL Playoffs and into the World Series is a bit far.

He didn’t help the Dodgers get to the World Series in 2018, he just helped them return there.

What the Yankees needed was pitching.

So, with that, their lineup from the last two seasons or so will stay just about the same as it has been for 2019.

According to MLB.com, this would be the Yankees’ Opening Day starting lineup come March.

1. Brett Gardner, LF
2. Aaron Judge, RF
3. Aaron Hicks, CF
4. Giancarlo Stanton, DH
5. Gary Sanchez, C
6. Miguel Andujar, 3B
7. Gleyber Torres, 2B
8. Luke Voit, 1B
9. Troy Tulowitzki, SS

That is a truly incredible lineup.

Gardner, Judge, Stanton, Tulowitzki, Torres, and Sanchez, have all been to All-Star game(s).

For those who have not been, Andujar was a finalist for Rookie of the year in 2018, Voit probably would have been an All-Star had he had a full season, and Hicks played in over 130 games and got MVP votes coming in 22nd last season.

Literally, all nine bats in the lineup have some sort of accolade to their resume, all of them to even brag about.

Would Manny have been someone who you want in the lineup? Yes, of course. If you read my column you would notice I am consistent in that argument.

However, for the price that they would have to pay, and for the long-term burden it could bring onto the payroll with many players left to pay, it is okay the Yanks are losing the Manny sweepstakes.

That projected lineup is proof that the Yankees are still going to be one of the most feared in baseball. Their offense will be a juggernaut once again.

That is without Manny Machado.

Landing Manny would have been great. The Yankees would have been able to flex their muscles that they are the mighty empire and still the cream of the crop for free agent signing.

However, now they do not have to throw all this money and long commitment at him when there is simply no need for him right now.

Without or without, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, heck even A.J. Pollock, the Yankees’ lineup will still be elite.

They will still probably be one of the best team in baseball and their championship window is still just opening.

So Yankees fans, I have been noticing some of you already being over losing out on Manny, but I hope this makes all of you be over losing out on him.

He would have been worth it but not needed. Sometimes getting stuff you don’t need backfires.

Sometimes, staying on course to what you have spent years building works out.

Only time will tell which one of those statements becomes relevant.

However, what is not a failure is the Yanks projected 2019 lineup. That is not a failure no matter where Manny Machado lands.