Machado unfazed by reception at Yankee Stadium: 'Great players get booed'
Manny Machado's return to the Bronx on Monday wasn't quite as friendly as the recruiting visit the star infielder attended in mid-December as a free agent.
The San Diego Padres shortstop was booed heavily at Yankee Stadium during his team's 5-2 loss in which Machado went 1-for-4 with a double and a strikeout.
Following the game, Machado insisted he wasn't put off by the reaction and didn't find the welcome any more rude than that of other stadiums he's visited.
"I get booed everywhere I go. Great players get booed. It happens," Machado said, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
Manny Machado preferred to be a Yankee. Today Yankee fans preferred to boo him and chant overrated pic.twitter.com/VIM0zxvC8W
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzYahoo) May 27, 2019
The Yankees were among a number of teams Machado visited in December and saw himself Photoshopped into pinstripes on the team's scoreboard. He also met with the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox before ultimately opting to sign a 10-year, $300-million deal with the Padres in February.
Look at what i have here.. Manny you look nice in pinstripes! Red carpet for manny #yankees pic.twitter.com/wfEzVEu3gz
— JoezMcfly🇩🇴 (@JoezMcfLy) December 19, 2018
It was reported that Machado's preference was to sign with the Yankees, but they never extended an offer. Instead, they opened the season with Troy Tulowitzki and Miguel Andujar on the left side of the infield.