Manny Machado to Yankees? How he’s throwing gas on the fire

Orioles star Manny Machado’s nephew says he wants him to get traded to the Yankees, and Machado poses for a picture with Yankees All-Stars.

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CLEVELAND — The look on Manny Machado‘s face was painful.

Maybe his family member just spilled the beans on where the Orioles star wants to play.

On MLB Network on Monday, Machado’s nephew said he wants to see his uncle play in the Bronx if he has to play with a team other than the Orioles.

“Your uncle plays for the Baltimore Orioles,” Red Sox Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez said before the MLB Home Run Derby. “If he’s not on the Orioles, where would you like to see your uncle?”  

“The Yankees,” the nephew said.

Then TV cameras panned to Machado, who cringed, looked away and shook his head.

Not long before that, Macahdo posed for a picture posted to Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman’s Instagram account.

In the photo, Machado is surrounded by Yankees All-Stars. The caption said: “You put the caption.”

You put the caption… Ponganle ustedes el titulo… #chapmanswagg #hrderby

A post shared by Aroldis Chapman (@_thecubanmissile54) on Jul 16, 2018 at 3:15pm PDT

Torres ready to come off DL

The Yankees, and several other teams, have been in talks with Baltimore about a trade involving Machado, a 26-year-old four-time All-Star whose bat might be the most potent on the free agent market in the offseason.

The Yankees aren’t considered the favorite to land him, however.

Machado recently liked an altered picture on Instagram of himself wearing a Yankees uniform.

Earlier Monday, he told reporters that liking the picture was a mistake.

“That was just scrolling down, seeing pictures,” he said. “I’ve liked a bunch of them, honestly. I’ve seen myself in Dodgers, Milwaukee, Phillies. It’s been going since, what, the Winter Meetings, sometime in December.”

“We like them all,” he said. “We’ve liked multiple ones.”

He added that he doesn’t have a preference as to where he’s traded.

“I’ve got no choice,” he said.

In spring training, Aaron Judge told reporters he said to Machado that he would “look good in pinstripes.”

The Philies, Brewers and Dodgers each are also figured to be potential landing spots for Machado.

Obviously, Machado would be a big boost to the Yankees, who could arguably use a starting pitcher more. Machado hit .315 with 24 home runs, 65 RBI and a .963 OPS in in 96 games in the first half of the season.

The Orioles will trade Machado before the July 31 deadline rather than lose him for just a compensation draft pick in the offseason.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.