MLB trade rumors: Orioles’ Manny Machado to Red Sox in nightmare scenario for Yankees?

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado will become a free agent after the 2018 season. He is not expected to re-sign with Baltimore and will hit the open market, along with Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, both of whom could command $300 million contracts. The Orioles are expected to trade Machado before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) non-waiver trade deadline.

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The Baltimore Orioles bring a league-worst 19-48 record into Friday’s game against the Miami Marlins.

Which means we are one day closer to the Orioles deciding if they will move shortstop Manny Machado before the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline.

Machado, who will become a free agent after the season, has all but guaranteed he won’t re-sign with Baltimore. So Orioles GM Dan Duquette will have no choice but to move Machado before the deadline so he can get back something of value in Machado’s departure.

The Yankees had been mentioned as an early suitor, but that seems unlikely now. The Yankees need starting pitching with injuries to Masahiro Tanaka and Jordan Montgomery, plus the continued struggles of Sonny Gray. New York also has eyes on Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper in free agency following the season.

The Athletics’s Ken Rosenthal examined the potential trade market for Machado, if the shortstop would be willing to move back to third base. He came up with one possible suitor which would be bad news for the Yankees:

*Boston Red Sox. Yes, Boston. The Red Sox rank 28th in OPS at third base, and a trade for Machado would be a vintage Dave Dombrowski stunner. Would the Sox give up say, five-plus years of third baseman Rafael Devers if the Orioles also included one of their potential free-agent relievers, Zach Britton or Brad Brach, and maybe a prospect?

The Sox’s top prospect is third baseman Michael Chavis, who is serving an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance, dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHMCT). Like Chris Colabello, Daniel Stumpf and others suspended for DHMCT, Chavis denied purposely taking any prohibited substance and reacted with shock to his penalty. The Sox, if they traded Devers and lost Machado as a free agent, could turn to Chavis at third, or sign another free agent.

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Rosenthal also listed the Braves, Angels and Indians as potential suitors. But the idea of the Orioles trading Machado within the division, and sending him to the division leader can’t sit well with the Yankees, who trail the Red Sox by one game in the AL East. Boston owns a major league best 48 wins this season.

Machado is having an MVP-caliber season. He’s fifth in the American League with 18 home runs, third in the AL with 50 RBI, and 10th in the league with a .307 batting average.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.