BALTIMORE — Didi Gregorius was asked about the links between the Yankees and Manny Machado during spring training, and he knows those links have resurfaced as the trade deadline approaches — and his attitude remains the same.
“If they made the move, we’ll see what happens,’’ Gregorius said before the Yankees faced the Orioles at Camden Yards on Tuesday. “I don’t think about it. It’s not hard to put out of your mind because things are always going to pop up at some point.”
Typically, though, those things don’t include one of the best players in the game being on the trade market with an expressed desire to remain at your position.
If the Yankees did land Machado by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, they could almost certainly convince him to shift to third base for the rest of the season. Whether he would agree to stay there beyond this season once he becomes a free agent seems less likely, especially since he was adamant on Monday that he “is a shortstop.”
Gregorius won’t be a free agent until the 2020 season.
In the meantime, general manager Brian Cashman told The Post’s Joel Sherman on Tuesday he considers third base “a strength” and pointed to Miguel Andujar, Brandon Drury and even Gleyber Torres as reasons why. He also reiterated his focus remained on bolstering starting pitching.
But that hardly takes the Yankees out of the Machado sweepstakes, with the 26-year-old heading out of Baltimore by the end of the month.
And Andujar’s surprising rookie season hardly presents an impossible roadblock to the addition of Machado.
The Orioles’ four-time All-Star is having his best season at the plate, while Andujar has slowed down offensively in the past month.
Entering Tuesday’s game, Andujar was 20-for-94 with five doubles, four homers and just three walks to go with 18 strikeouts. It’s a 25-game stretch in which his OPS was just .639. That’s hardly a sign the Yankees need an upgrade at the position, but it shows that while very promising, Andujar is not on Machado’s level.
Aaron Boone said he hasn’t spoken to Andujar about the rumors because he doesn’t want to address potential deals every time they might come up, but Gregorius has chatted with his young teammate.
Gregorius said Andujar came to his room on Monday, which the rookie does frequently, and the topic of trades came up.
“I don’t think he’s paying attention to that, to be honest,’’ Gregorius said. “I told him, ‘Don’t worry about what people say. Just play the game.’ ”
Andujar’s maturity throughout his brief time in The Bronx has impressed Gregorius.
“He’s already mentally prepared to be here in the majors, which shows you what he has,’’ Gregorius said. “And he’s gotten even better.”
Andujar said he heard about the Machado news through social media.
“I don’t pay attention to that stuff,’’ Andujar said through an interpreter. “It’s about improving and getting better in your game and being more consistent all around.”
And he insisted he’s not bothered by the rumors.
“It doesn’t worry me,’’ Andujar said. “Ever since I’ve been in professional baseball, even in the minors, there’s always been someone ahead of me.”
“I think [Andujar] knows how we feel about him,’’ Boone said. “And how important he’s been to our club, how well he’s played and how much he’s impacted us.”