MLB trade rumors: 'Surprise' candidate for Orioles' Manny Machado, and no, it's not the Yankees

by Felix Pantaleón

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, 2018 (7/31/18). The Baltimore Orioles are considering trading shortstop Manny Machado, who will become a free agent after the 2018 MLB season. The Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees have been connected to Machado in trade rumors.

Quiz time. Your baseball team is in last place in its division, eight games below .500 and stuck in a four-game losing streak.

Do you try to beat the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline and acquire the top bat on the market, who will become a free agent after the 2018 season, meaning he’s nothing more than a short-term rental?

Apparently, the answer is yes, if you are the San Diego Padres.

FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports the Padres are interested in Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado:

The San Diego Padres are a surprise entry in the Manny Machado sweepstakes, sources tell FRS Baseball.

San Diego would seem to be a long shot; they wouldn’t seem to be a likely playoff team, Machado is a free agent after the year and the Padres would seem to have no hope of signing him up long-term. However, the Padres have surprised before, signing Eric Hosmer to the biggest free-agent contract of the winter, and a couple years back making bold moves for Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel and Matt Kemp.

A Padres person characterized their contact as “due diligence” and downplayed the possibility. It’s hard to completely discount them, though, since they have a great list of prospects and a willingness to take a chance.

J.A. Happ ‘in demand’

Machado is having an MVP-caliber season for the last-place Orioles, who own the worst record in baseball. He’s tied for fifth in the American League with 18 home runs and third in the league with 53 RBI.

Machado will be a hot commodity between now and the trade deadline, with deep-pocket teams such as the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers potentially interested in the 25-year-old slugger.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.