Dodgers Team News

Machado to the Dodgers: ESPN and USAToday Reporting on Rumors of Trade

The Dodgers and Orioles finally appear to have come to a deal this week. Manny Machado looks like he will be taking his talents out west in a swap of veteran talent for a package of prospects. The deal was first reported this morning from several verified sources, all of whom believe all that’s left is to hammer out the details.

While nothing is guaranteed at this point, it certainly looks as though the two sides are ready to work this out. ESPN also reported that the structure for the deal was in place pending specifics for the trade. Barring any unforeseen setback, Manny Machado should be a Dodger by the end of this week.

His Upside

Say what you will about his defensive metrics, there is no denying his thunderous bat. He has averaged 35 home runs every season since 2015, and he is on pace to surpass that this season. He has also knocked in an average of 90 runs per year while hitting 283 over his career.

This year he has looked like a man on a mission. Perhaps that mission was to get out of Baltimore, where the last place Orioles have stumbled to a 28-69 record. That put them almost 40 games back at the All-Star break.

Where He Fits In

Machado will play shortstop, that much is certain in all of this. He has made it clear that short is the position he belongs in long-term, and that fits exactly what the Dodgers need. Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez have filled in admirably in Corey Seager’s absence, but Machado offers much more upside. Machado could bat third or fourth in the lineup, fitting in nicely somewhere between Justin Turner, Matt Kemp, and Max Muncy. What a lineup.

This, of course, could mean that Cody Bellinger is going to get more time in the outfield again. Max Muncy would slide in at first base far more often than he has played there in the first half and would fill in for Turner at third when he needs rest. Second base would likely be a platoon of Taylor and Hernandez with Utley seeing an, even more, declined role. That would also mean that Pederson is going to see less time against left-handed pitching, as should be the case regardless.

Whatever the lineup may end up looking like, it’s a great problem to have. A wealth of talent is always preferred.

Analysis of the Deal

It will obviously depend on the exact prospect package, but the deal puts Los Angeles in a “win now” scenario. Yusnial Diaz is the most mentioned prospect to have been mentioned at this point, and Logan Forsythe could also be part of the salary solution in the trade.

Things are looking up in Los Angeles folks, and we’re just getting started.

History of Dodgers Players in Home Run Derby

4 Comments

  1. Hope dodgers will still have bandwidth to get some pitching help if this deal goes through.

    I also am curious if we could resign Machado for next season. Would Seager possibly be a fit at 2nd? He won’t be back until about mid year anyways.

  2. Generally I like what I’m hearing, but we do need starting pitching badly. Hopefully we can shop for that. Maybe we look for solid starter but not necessarily top of the line pitcher.

  3. Starting pitching? We are 2nd in starter ERA and backlogged with starters to where we may have a 6 man rotation. We need a go-to arm or two for the pen. Come post season could be starter such as Maeda again once again.

  4. Machado would be a good addition to the team but we have a pretty good hitting team now; so, LA fans hope the brass do not sell out any of our young players just to have a rental. After all, what we really need is middle relief pitching and/or a starter.

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