Troy Tulowitzki gives Yankees a possible Plan B

With the Yankees having agreed on a deal withTroy Tulowitzki, the timetable for Manny Machado’s decision remained cloudy, even as the Phillies — one of his three principal suitors — reportedly moved to set up a face-to-face meeting with Bryce Harper in the next week or so.

The Yankees’ sudden agreement with Tulowitzki, along with the Phillies ramping up their efforts with Harper, were not-so-subtle indications that both teams are using this time to put contingency plans in place. For Brian Cashman, the Tulowitzki signing is a low-cost acquisition with potential big upside, as the Blue Jays are on the hook for the remaining $38 million on his contract. The Yankees’ only commitment would be the league-minimum $550,000.

If Tulowitzki is fully recovered from last year’s double-heel surgery, and subsequently can stay healthy — no easy feat for him — there is the possibility he could be a viable replacement for the injured Didi Gregorius at shortstop. By all accounts, Tulowitzki showed good mobility at last month’s workout for scouts, even though he didn’t play in 2018 and has totaled only 66 games the past two seasons.

At 34, Tulowitzki is at the age when players start to pick up downhill momentum, and these days, no one gets better as they get older. But Tulowitzki should be highly motivated if given the shot to follow his idol Derek Jeter — he’s always worn No. 2 in his honor — by manning that honored patch of dirt in the Bronx.

Obviously, Tulowitzki can’t wear No. 2 — it was retired two years ago — and the No. 22 is currently owned by Jacoby Ellsbury. That leaves Tyler Wade’s No. 12, and the Yankees’ prospect told MLB Network Radio that he was fine turning it over to Tulo.

“Yeah, of course,” Wade said during Wednesday’s interview. “I’m not really attached to the number. If he wants it, he can have it.”

Still, there’s no guarantee Tulowitzki will earn a starting spot with the Yankees, so his acquisition doesn’t necessary rule out Machado playing shortstop if he chooses the Bronx. The Yankees also could play Machado at third and move Miguel Andujar to first base — or trade Andujar for a starting pitcher.

The priority is still Machado, and the Yankees have to be considered the favorites, even as this continues to drag on. Despite Machado seeking a deal in the $300-million range, Cashman can get creative with the opt-out structure of any long-term contract, and Machado’s age (26) ensures that he’ll be looking for numerous opportunities to upgrade his salary over the next decade or so.

The Yankees also have the advantage of being Machado’s preferred destination, and his desire to put on the same pinstriped No. 13 previously worn by his childhood idol, Alex Rodriguez. That won’t outweigh the salary figures, of course, but it makes the Bronx more attractive if the numbers are comparable to the offers from the Phillies and White Sox.

It’s unclear how far along Machado is in negotiations with any of these teams. But given the competitive dynamic that exists between he and Harper in these free-agent sweepstakes, whoever signs first runs the risk of being trumped on what could be record-breaking contract parameters. Harper’s agent, Scott Boras, is notorious for dragging things out as late as February in order to extract the most money for his client, but he may not need to this time. The Washington Post reported that Harper and Boras had a five-hour meeting with the Nationals again last month — even after their $300-million offer was turned down at the end of last season. That could signal a willingness to return to the team that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft.

By David Lennon

dave.lennon@newsday.comDPLennon

David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.