The Baltimore Orioles are going to want a haul if they part ways with Manny Machado, as they should.
Machado has established himself as one of the top talents in all of Major League Baseball, and at 25 years old, he has the chance to be the face of a franchise for over a decade.
With Machado’s contract expiring at season’s end, it would make sense for the O’s to try to swing a deal for the three-time All-Star to avoid losing him for nothing this winter. But a supreme return package might not be out there for Baltimore, and it reportedly has last year’s trade deadline stars to blame.
“The Orioles will want at least the same kind of package the New York Yankees received two years ago for closer Aroldis Chapman,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal writes. “But such a deal might not be available based upon the modest returns last season for the two biggest rentals, outfielder J.D. Martinez and right-hander Yu Darvish.”
Martinez and Darvish both were traded for three prospects last summer, none of which were considered to be top-level. While Machado certainly is on a higher tier than both Martinez and Darvish, it makes sense why a team wouldn’t want to dismantle its farm system for two-to-three months of his service, especially when he’s set to hit the open market this offseason.
While the Orioles might be handcuffed in making a deal for Machado, it’s becoming increasingly likely that the star shortstop’s days in Charm City are numbered by one way or another.
