Betances wants Machado in pinstripes: 'He'll put us over the top'

The New York Yankees have been one of many teams linked to superstar free agent Manny Machado, and one of their own is campaigning for the team to snatch him up.

Right-handed reliever Dellin Betances said he wants the Yankees to sign Machado because he's the missing link on offense.

"I think he'll put us over the top," Betances told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "We were short last year. Things could have gone our way, but they didn't. ... Our lineup is already impactful, so adding a guy like that would be pretty crazy."

Impactful may be an understatement. The Yankees set a new record in 2018 by crushing 267 home runs and trailed only the Boston Red Sox in runs scored. That was without star slugger Aaron Judge, who missed most of the summer with a wrist injury.

Whether the Yankees try to take the plunge remains to be seen. At the end of October, the team was reportedly "lukewarm" on the infielder, though it seems as though their interest will be tied more directly to the price tag he commands.

Either way, with shortstop Didi Gregorius projected to miss a portion of the 2019 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Machado could slide into the defensive alignment in his place and more than fill the void on offense. Between the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers, Machado hit .297/.367/.538 with 37 home runs, 107 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases.