Clearly the Yankees are counting on Troy Tulowitzki pitching out of the bullpen on days he is not playing shortstop as the Yankees let David Robertson go to the Phillies. He is getting $10 -11 million a year which is closer type money so it’s hard to argue with that. On the other hand, he is a proven pitcher who has thrived in New York and is a guy you can slot into the closer’s role when Chapman inevitably breaks down during the season. Assuming Zach Britten gets that type of money somewhere, the Yankees’ bullpen is definitely weaker heading into 2019.
SU assumes Cashman has a plan. Unfortunately, all signs continue to lead to them signing Machado as the White Sox apparently won’t go above 7 years on their contract offer.
More and more this feels like the 2004 season where they had Gary Sheffield and a slew of big-time hitters and what was really just medicore pitching (see Kevin Brown and Jon Lieber in the LCS against the Red Sox). SU says the more I think about it, the more I am unhappy with the Machado signing. You can already picture Stanton and Machado striking out in big spots back-to-back in the 9th inning and the announcers wondering why the Yankees will only field a right-handed hitting team. At least Stanton hustles and will walk briskly back to the dugout while Machado will likely slug the catcher.
Remind me one more time: what happened to the youth movement?? And why isn’t Andujar a better option?
Sports Update Intergalactic 
While I am not in on Machado either, Interestingly enough he only struck out 104 times in 2018 out of 632 at bats, while Stanton struck out more than twice as often in fewer at bats. Some sources reporting that Yankees are still talking to Britton about coming back.
I hope this is a big smoke screen so we can land Harpur. Maybe some of the youngsters in the minors will step up in the relief role. Though zRobertson never shyed away from pitching under any scenario he was quite hittable this past season. He’s been seen di often by hitters in the AL that ot doesnt surprise me.
What was Machado’s batting average these last few years?