s he has been talking about Manny Machado with the infielder’s agent.New York shortstop Didi Gregorius is expected to miss at least half of next season while recovering from Tommy John surgery Ken Griffey Jersey , leaving the team in search of an infielder.“I’ve had several conversations with Dan Lozano about Manny Machado,” Cashman said Monday at the winter meetings. “So we are we are definitely focused in the marketplace on those areas of need and he, obviously, is available and solves that area of need. So, not going to deny we’ve had a conversation. Or two.”Cashman said last month that Machado would have to explain his comments that he isn’t “Johnny Hustle” and his failure to run hard on the bases, which became glaring in the postseason. Cashman would not say whether he plans to meet with Machado.Bryce Harper, the other top free agent, appears to be of little interest to the Yankees, at least publicly. Asked whether he had met with the Las Vegas native, Cashman responded: “Are you serious?”He then listed the outfielders on the Yankees roster: Aaron Judge http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-ichiro-suzuki-jersey , Giancarlo Stanton, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier. Cashman maintained he’s not interested in having Harper switch positions.“People ask about the first-base stuff and I’m sure it’s potentially a possibility, but it’s not something that we would play on at that level and that type of money, to play something like that at first base,” Cashman said.New York, in search of its first title since 2009, is interested in adding another starting pitcher to its rotation, which is projected to include Luis Severino Kyle Seager Jersey , Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and CC Sabathia. The Yankees would like to reach a deal with left-hander J.A. Happ but are uncertain whether other teams will evaluate the 36-year-old left-hander more highly.Cashman said New York thought 29-year-old left-hander Patrick Corbin was the top free agent pitcher on the market but did not think he was worth paying what Washington agreed to: a $140 million, six-year contract.In an era of luxury tax and revenue sharing, New York behaves far differently than it did when George Steinbrenner pursued a string of top free agents. Cashman cited a need for rigid “process and discipline” to ensure “we can be a viable contender now and hopefully a viable contender later at the same time.”“The operation that George was able to operate and navigate through is nowhere close to the one that Hal Steinbrenner has to operate and navigate through,” Cashman said. “It’s a convenient, easy story to write about us being different than the Boss’s Yankees, but the game’s completely different, too, And I think we’ve been operating in a different capacitybecause it’s a whole new world order.” CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians traded one of their extra pieces. They’re keeping their bigger ones — for now.Cleveland began what could be a busy offseason on Wednesday by dealing versatile infielder Erik Gonzalez to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a five-player swap.The AL Central champions sent the 27-year-old Gonzalez, who appeared in 81 games for the Indians last season http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-nelson-cruz-jersey , along with minor league right-handers Tahnaj Thomas and Dante Mendoza to the Pirates for outfielder Jordan Luplow and infielder Max Moroff.Gonzalez batted .265 with one homer and 16 RBIs last season for Cleveland, which signed the Dominican native in 2009. And while he filled a valuable utility role, he was not going to crack the starting lineup behind All-Stars Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez.“That was a tough thing for us,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “We’ve had multiple conversations with Erik about it. He’s done so many things to impact the organization in his time with us, from the time he signed. He’s played every position on the field I think other than catcher at one point or another. But, as our roster has taken shape over the course of the past few seasons, we have not had an opportunity for him to play regularly.“So, we feel this will give Erik an opportunity to play more with Pittsburgh and continue his career and potentially blossom into the everyday player we think he can be.”The negligible move gives the Indians needed depth in the outfield, and it could be the first of many deals this winter.Cleveland has not dismissed speculation it may be willing to trade prominent players, including ace Corey Kluber and right-hander Carlos Carrasco. Antonetti said it’s difficult to measure whether the team has seen an increase in teams wanting to do business with the Indians.“I think what I would reiterate is that I think the conversations have reaffirmed for us that we have a lot of players on our roster and throughout our organization that are of interest to other teams Carlos Ruiz Jersey ,” he said. “And I think what that allows us to do is have a lot of dialogue with other teams about potential opportunities for us to move forward as an organization and get better.”The 25-year-old Luplow is one of those opportunities. Cleveland’s outfield was decimated by injuries last season, and the team is not expected to re-sign Michael Brantley as a free agent.Luplow appeared in 64 games over the past two seasons with the Pirates, who named him their top minor league player in 2017.“He’s capable of playing all three outfield spots,” Antonetti said. “He’s spent most of the time in left and right, but we also believe he has the ability to play center field. He complements our roster really well as a right-handed-hitting outfielder that we think is capable of helping us at the major league level.”Moroff has split the last three seasons between Triple-A Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, appearing in 26 games for the Pirates in 2018.Antonetti dealing young players — especially pitchers — like Thomas and Mendoza is difficult, but sometimes necessary.“Two young pitchers out in Arizona that we like, that have some upside,” he said. “Obviously, they’re a little ways away from the major Leagues http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-randy-johnson-jersey , being both 19 years old. So, guys that definitely have some potential to continue to grow and develop and develop into major league pitchers. But, for us to acquire Max and Jordan, we thought it was a worthwhile deal for us to make, because they’re two guys that can help our Major League team here in the near future.”