Manny Machado’s days as a member of the Baltimore Orioles likely are numbered and it appears the list of potential suitors is dwindling.
The All-Star shortstop is in the midst of a fantastic season, and with his contract set to expire at the end of the campaign, the last-place O’s likely will move him before the non-waiver trade deadline.
While many teams reportedly have checked in on the asking price for the star, USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale reported Thursday that three teams — the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees — appear to be the front-runners for Machado.
Machado would be an instant upgrade to both the Dodgers’ and Brewers’ lineups, but, of course, the scariest option is the Yankees. Adding the 26-year-old to an order that already includes Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez, when he’s healthy, would give New York a lineup that would be almost impossible to navigate.
While the Yankees might be one of the reported front-runners, the Orioles reportedly will require star pitching prospect Justus Sheffield in any deal for the shortstop. New York reportedly made a “strong” offer for the shortstop, but Roch Kubatko of MASN reported that the left-hander was not involed in the offer.
New York reportedly is hesitant to part with the top prospect for what amounts to a rental. Machado will hit the open market in the offseason and is likely to command a large contract, so it’s hard to see a team giving up the jewel of its farm system for two months of the star.
The Machado sweepstakes only will heat up as the deadline approaches, and who wins the bidding still is up in the air, but these three teams are in pole position as the All-Star break nears.
