MLB Rumors: Latest Buzz on Sonny Gray, Manny Machado and More

The Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers still have their championship aspirations intact, but the other 26 Major League teams are all looking ahead to the 2019 season.

That includes the New York Yankees, who were beaten by the Red Sox in the American League Division Series. General manager Brian Cashman saw his team finish eight games behind the Red Sox during the regular season in addition to dropping the postseason series, and he knows his team has to make some moves to close the gap on the Old Towne Team.

One of those moves is likely to involve pitcher Sonny Gray, who was acquired by the Yankees in the 2017 season. Gray was quite sharp earlier in his career with the Oakland A's, but he has largely struggled since donning the pinstripes.

Gray was 11-9 with a 4.90 earned-run average in 2018, and he had a 1.496 WHIP. In addition to the numbers, Gray seemed to have a difficult time throwing with confidence in key games for the Yankees.

Cashman believes that Gray is talented, but pitching under the microscope in New York City has not helped him. The general manager will try to move Gray in the offseason, according to David Lennon of Newsday.

The 28-year-old Gray is arbitration eligible in the upcoming season and could be a free agent in 2020. He made the All-Star team in 2015 and has finished as high as third in Cy Young voting, so the Yankees should be able to get a decent-to-good asset for him.

The Philadelphia Phillies were in contention for the National League East title throughout much of the summer before they struggled in the final weeks and gave way to the Atlanta Braves.

The Phillies are expected to be heavily involved in free agency during the offseason, and they could be among the suitors for superstars Manny Machado of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals.

It seems unlikely that they could sign both of those players, but Jon Heyman of FanCred Sports says that possibility should not be ruled out.

The Phillies have been interested in Machado since it became known that the Baltimore Orioles were willing to move him, but signing Harper could have a more significant impact because he could help their lineup and also weaken the division rival Washington Nationals.

Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs did not have the kind of season that he was hoping for in 2018 as injuries took their toll.

However, the 2016 National League Most Valuable Player still has great confidence in his own ability, even though he was held to 13 home runs and 52 runs batted in while playing 102 games.

Bryant has reportedly turned down a $200 million contract extension from the Cubs, according to ESPN Radio's David Kaplan and also Sports Illustrated's Scooby Axson.

Instead of signing a long-term extension, the belief is that Bryant will receive annual salary increases until he becomes eligible for free agency in 2022 when he turns 30.