Perhaps more so than season’s past, the Baltimore Orioles appeared accepting, if not willing, of the fact that it would be necessary to part with one of their stars prior to the non-waiver trade deadline.
While Zach Britton is an asset himself, Manny Machado represented the best position player on the trade market. The Orioles reportedly received interest from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, among others.
Each of the five teams were at one point said to be the leader in the clubhouse to acquire the All-Star shortstop. The Dodgers and Orioles then quickly steamed ahead toward an agreement on Tuesday.
The trade was expected to be finalized Wednesday, but that came with reports of the Orioles having concern over the medicals of at least one Dodgers prospect who was included in the deal.
That hurdle now appears to have been cleared, and Machado should be traded to the Dodgers at any moment, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN:
Looks like the Machado trade to the #dodgers will go through. #orioles getting back 5 players. Told just some "final points to review" and that medical concerns have been "all but addressed." Not a deal-breaker. So stay tuned
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) July 18, 2018
It’s believed the five players the Orioles will receive are all prospects, with Cuban outfielder Yusniel Diaz serving as the centerpiece. He slugged two home runs at the Futures Game this week. Diaz reportedly was not the source of the medical concern.
Machado will join a Dodgers team that begins the unofficial second half of the season with a slim lead in the National League West standings. He fills a void that was created at shortstop when Corey Seager underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery.
Like Rich Hill, Josh Reddick and Yu Darvish, Machado represents an impact talent who is months away from reaching free agency and could wind up being a rental for the Dodgers.
As part of our efforts to help you understand how we handle the personal information you share with us, and in preparation for the new European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we’ve updated our Privacy & Cookies Policy. The updated Privacy & Cookies Policy will take effect on May 22, 2018. By using our services on or after that date, you’ll be agreeing to our updated Privacy & Cookies Policy. We recommend that you read our updated Privacy & Cookies Policy in full.
