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KANSAS CITY, Missouri – After attempting to swap Manny Machado last July and have pursued him less eagerly as a free agent during the off season, the Yankees will welcome him again on Monday. , during the Padres' visit to Yankee Stadium.
And although Machado's former teammate in Baltimore, Zack Britton, never had the feeling that Machado would join him with the Yankees when they were both on the open market last winter, the reliever still believes that the third baseman would have been a "perfect fit" in The Bronx.
"I talked to him a lot during the [free-agent] Britton said Sunday before the Yankees complete their road trip with an 8-7, 10-run loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. "It was a long process and just in conversations with him, I did not think any of us thought it was going to work here based on what he'd said at the time. discussions. "
That's not to say that Britton did not think Machado would not have prospered with the Yankees.
"I thought he was perfect," said Britton. "He brings the elite defense to third place, his power in the stadium would have played and he would have been good in the clubhouse where there are other big names."
And while Machado, the White Sox and the Phillies, visited the Yankees, he finally signed a $ 300 million mega agreement with San Diego over 10 years.
"It would have been nice to have it, but with the money and our high payroll, I understood it," Britton said.
Even with Miguel Andujar for the season with a torn labrum at the right shoulder, the Yankees saw Gio Urshela grow to third place.
Urshela was unable to handle a whiplash of Whit Merrifield's winning single on Sunday, but has been superb in defense since being replaced by Andujar. And he became a strong offensive player.
"You can not ask for more than Urshela does," said Britton. "I do not know if anyone could have given us more production at this point. Manny is an elite from every point of view, but I can not think of one thing that Urshela has done and that you could have gotten from someone else. "
Nevertheless, a part of Britton who would like Machado to be in a more prestigious position than the Padres, who are hunting in the NL wild-card race.
"It's this guy, if you put him on a big stage, especially when he wants to prove something, he's great," said Britton. "He is not here now. These types of players should be on the big stage. "
It will be however this week.
"It will be nice to see him," said Britton. "I hope that it does not do any damage against us. I know he's going to improve his game. "
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