The Baltimore Orioles reportedly want to get this Manny Machado thing over and done with.
The star shortstop has been at the center of trade rumors for what feels like forever. And while it seems like a forgone conclusion that Machado will be dealt by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, the O’s actually are motivated to move him well before then, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
“The Baltimore Orioles want to act sooner rather than later, knowing they almost certainly will receive a greater return if they trade Machado with approximately three months of control remaining instead of two,” Rosenthal reported Tuesday, citing Major League Baseball sources.
Rosenthal also reported the pace of Baltimore’s Machado talks has “accelerated in recent days.”
So, where is Machado’s most likely destination?
Rosenthal didn’t list a current favorite but named teams that likely will be in on talks, if they aren’t already: The Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Indians.
Machado likely will be the prize of the trade deadline, and good for reason. The 25-year-old is enjoying a career year, hitting .310 with 21 homers and 59 RBIs through 82 games.
