What Teams Top the Manny Machado Rumors?
The free-agent market in Major League Baseball is officially open for business, and we have one of the most star-studded free-agent classes in the sport’s history. Last season is behind us, and now teams and fans can dream about what players will help next year and for years to come.
The group of players and pitchers will be led by a pair of superstar 25-year-old sluggers: Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. They play different positions and it’s not clear yet who will get the most money of the two. Though Machado seems to have the tiniest advantage in that there is no draft-pick penalty attached to signing him.
We took a look at the suitors for Bryce Harper, and now let’s take a look at the best infielder on the market.
Machado is a generational talent you normally see a team sign to a long-term deal before free agency. But we’re talking about the Orioles, so “normal” doesn’t really apply. It’s a little funny to think that the Orioles couldn’t afford to keep Machado because they were tricked into paying Chris Davis all of Manny’s money.
Machado had his best offensive season for the Orioles and then the Dodgers. He performed well in the League Championship Series and pushed Los Angeles into the World Series. While there, he and his teammates failed to put together much of any offense.
Defensively, his best position is third base, where he grades out as above average, but he seems to “prefer” shortstop. Presumably, he thinks shortstop is cooler than third base. But you know what’s not cool? A -13 Defensive Runs Saved.
And then there’s the attitude problem. Or whatever. He’s an awesome baseball talent who doesn’t hustle sometimes, and he’s kind of a jerk running the bases. That will be an issue for some teams, and others will choose to just deal with it.
The Dodgers don’t appear to need his services in the future with Corey Seager returning to play shortstop next season. However, the Dodgers do have a penchant for mixing and matching lineups. Maybe Justin Turner could move to second base and Machado plays third. Or maybe Machado catches. You never know with the Dodgers.
It’s unclear what team is the front runner for Machado’s services in 2019 and beyond, but the speculation has begun. So, let’s join in!
PHILLIES
Philadelphia seems to be a near-perfect fit for Machado, either as a third baseman or a shortstop. Signing him might actually help the team move on from the question marks that currently occupy those positions. The Phillies definitely have the money to pay for Machado, and the town is probably a good fit for Machado’s surly attitude. Heck, they might even prefer it. You’re going to see the Phillies involved in a lot of the top free-agent rumors. Despite their brutal September performance, they have a lot of strong pieces already on the team. Adding Machado could push them up to challenging for the divisional title.
METS
The “other” team in New York has a new GM, and he seems to think the Mets are in a win-now stage. Adding Machado would balance out their lefty-heavy batting lineup. However, the Mets have a decent young shortstop in Amed Rosario and one of their top prospects is also a shortstop. If they add relief pitching and a real center fielder, they could make a run at the playoffs. The NL East isn’t exactly the AL East, though it’s also not exactly a walkover like the AL Central.
GIANTS
San Francisco was ready to take on Giancarlo Stanton’s massive contract last year from the Marlins, so why not dump all that money on Manny Machado? The Giants have done just fine with superstars who are a bit difficult. Their offense was historically awful last year, and Machado would immediately become their best player. They’d need to trade Brandon Crawford to a team that wasn’t so concerned about offense. As with the Giants interest in Harper, this could be a signing more for a few years down the road than actually for next season.
ANGELS
The “other” Los Angeles team is the wild card for Machado. They have shown willingness in the past to break the bank for high-profile hitters. With Andrelton Simmons’ awesome glove at shortstop, Machado would have to play third base. He would be a big boost to the team’s offense and defense. He does strike me as the kind of guy who likes to be the best player on his team, and with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani there, he’d slot in at number three. The Angels were a good team last season before the injuries became too much. Machado would immediately make them playoff contenders.
YANKEES
The fact that Machado doesn’t pitch certainly makes him less likely to be a target for the Yankees. However, the injury to Didi Gregorius and the suspect defense of rookie Miguel Andujar appears to leave a bit of a possibility for them to sign Machado. GM Brian Cashman doesn’t seem too keen on Machado’s “attitude,” but winning games is what everyone wants. You have to think if the Red Sox were interested in Machado the Yankees would at least do some posturing to push his price up.
