Perhaps the true best-case scenario for the Boston Red Sox would have been to acquire superstar infielder Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for some mid-level prospects and a bucket of baseballs.
That obviously was an unrealistic pipe dream, but what happened in reality — the Orioles traded Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers — probably is the next-best outcome for Boston.
With Machado on the West Coast, the Red Sox no longer have to deal with the four-time All-Star. The Red Sox became painfully aware of what Machado was capable of during his six-plus seasons in the American League East. His numbers versus Boston were relatively middle-of-the-road for his lofty standards, but the shortstop still hit .277 with 16 home runs in 95 career games against the Red Sox.
Removing Machado from the Orioles also strips the O’s of easily their most talented player, making one of baseball’s most atrocious teams even worse. That, too, is good news for the Red Sox, who still have nine games left against Baltimore after winning nine of the first 10 games in the season series while outscoring the Birds 54-24 in those contests (not a typo).
Even more important, Machado’s departure from the AL East means he’s not going to the Bronx. The New York Yankees were among the teams interested in acquiring Machado. The Yankees weren’t really in it at the end, but if they had been able to swing a deal and convince Machado to play third base, it would have made arguably baseball’s best lineup even more intimidating. Questions about pitching aside, the addition of Machado could have been enough to swing the division race in New York’s favor.
The Orioles aren’t done dealing, either. As previously mentioned, they stink, which means any and all valuable parts likely will be sold off in the next week and a half. Teams looking to bolster their bullpen should be calling general manager Dan Duquette to check in on any number of decent relievers, including closer Zach Britton. There were reports before the Machado trade that the O’s considered packaging him and Britton in order to maximize their return.
That obviously didn’t happen, which means Britton is still available. That’s potentially good news for a Red Sox team reportedly eyeing the left-hander as the deadline approaches. The Red Sox bullpen has been better than some realize, but the eighth inning is something of a concern given Joe Kelly’s recent struggles. If Boston could trade for the seemingly healthy Britton and he pitches at anywhere near his form from a few years ago, he would be the perfect addition in front of closer Craig Kimbrel.
For now, the Red Sox stand to benefit from Machado heading west. That is, however, subject to change once October rolls around.
