The Yankees have been seeking background information on free agent 3B/SS Manny Machado, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

New York has been monitoring the Machado situation, with SNY's Andy Martino reporting that a pursuit of Machado is more likely than a pursuit of free agent OF Bryce Harper.

According to Martino, while the Yankees are not currently prepared to be overly aggressive when it comes to Machado, they're "ready to pounce" if his market doesn't get out of hand.

The 26-year-old Machado hit .297/.367/.538 with 37 homers, 35 doubles, and 14 stolen bases in 162 games this past season for the Orioles and Dodgers.

Machado is reportedly seeking a deal that could be in excess of $300 million for 10 years. And with the Yankees being leery of going over the luxury tax, a potential pursuit could be tricky due to the presence of Giancarlo Stanton, SNY contributor John Harper recently noted.

While he played primarily shortstop in 2018 (where he was worth -13 DRS), Machado could potentially shift back to third base in 2019.

The Yankees currently have Miguel Andujar at third base, though concerns over his defense could change those plans. Meanwhile, shortstop Didi Gregorius is recovering from Tommy John surgery, with Gleyber Torres ready to step in there if needed.

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