JUDGE TOLD OF COMMON LAW

Admits fault after briefing on tampering gaffe

TAMPA — Aaron Judge’s illadvised pitch to Manny Machado did lead to a call from Brian Cashman on Wednesday night, with the GM reiterating Major League Baseball’s “sensitive” stance on tampering, which the Yankee slugger likely committed

regardless of his intent when he told the Orioles star that “he’d look good in pinstripes” during a conversation prior to Wednesday’s spring training game.

During their 30-second phone conversation, Cashman gave Judge a refresher “that MLB’s sensitive to that kind of stuff.”

Judge is ready to move on from his misstep.

“Now I know,” Judge said. “It was all new to me. You learn something new every day.”

Cashman spoke to Judge at the behest of baseball.

“I reached out to Aaron to make sure he got the full perspective, obviously clearly from Baltimore’s perspective as well,” Cashman said. “There’s certainly no intentions on creating any difficulties for everybody. I made sure Aaron un- derstood the commissioner’s perspective on it. He does.”

Judge had made his pitch to Machado — expressing hopes that he’ll join the Yankees in 2019 — before Wednesday’s game in Sarasota.

“Adding him to our lineup that we’ve already got would be something special,” Judge said. “I told him he’d look good in pinstripes.”

Machado, the Orioles’ All-Star infielder, will be a free agent next offseason, and could command $30 million or more per year on the open market.

After being contacted by the Daily News on Wednesday, MLB issued a statement saying: “We have been in contact with the Yankees. They communicated to us that Mr. Judge’s off the cuff comments were not appropriate and

not authorized by the club. They will speak to him to make sure this does not happen again.”

Asked if he’d get a commission should the Yankees sign Machado, Judge laughed and replied: “I don’t think so. I don’t think so.”

Orioles manager Buck Showalter laughed off the whole situation on Thursday.

“I’m just glad they didn’t catch Manny recruiting Judge,” Showalter joked, according to the Baltimore Sun.

The MLB rulebook states: “To preserve discipline and competition, and to prevent the enticement of players, coaches, managers and umpires, there shall be no negotiations or dealings respecting employment, either present or prospective, between any player, coach or manager and any Major or Minor League Club other than the Club with which the player is under contract . . .”

Two years ago, former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz got into hot water when he made public his opinion that Edwin Encarnacion should join Boston after his contract with the Blue Jays was up. Ortiz was not fined but did receive a letter from MLB reminding him to avoid tampering. Encarnacion went to the Indians instead.

Trade rumors involving the Yankees and Machado swirled during the offseason, but nothing materialized. The Bombers would be better off waiting until free agency, anyway, when they can buy Machado rather than sacrificing prospects for him. And Orioles owner Peter Angelos is believed to not want any part of trading his franchise player to a long-time hated division rival anyway.

The Yankees’ interest on Machado could hinge on how young infield prospects like Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres perform in 2018, and if they aren’t traded for top-flight starting pitching before the deadline. It also could hinge on where they finish in the standings.

Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman also could be adverse to handing out another massive long-term contract, given what has happened in the past with Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Still, the 25-year-old Machado is enticing, as he’s averaged a .280/.338/.502 slash line with an average of 35 homers, 92 RBI and 34 doubles over the last three seasons.

Machado grew up idolizing A-Rod, and wears No. 13 because of him.