MLB trade rumors: Orioles’ Manny Machado sweepstakes down to 8? Yankees out? Phillies, Mets in?

Trade talks have begun for Orioles superstar Manny Machado. Which teams are in the mix to land the shortstop?

July 31 can’t get here soon enough for the Baltimore Orioles.

The worst team in the American League walked off the field on June 10 staring at an almost unbelievable 25-game deficit in the AL East. One of the best teams in the league over the last five years has hit rock bottom.

The only way out: A fire sale–including MVP-caliber slugger Manny Machado.

As rumors swirl, connections to the Yankees and Phillies have been rampant. Now with just seven weeks until the 2018 MLB trade deadline, more suitors have begun to emerge.

According to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, inquires have begun involving the Orioles and interested parties. The Yankees are out (or at least not in yet). The Phillies (as expected) are in. Even the Mets are expected to be in the running.

The inquiries have begun. The Phillies, Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers, Brewers, Mets, Angels, and Mariners are all expected to dip their toes in the water to see what it would take. If the Orioles had a wish list, they’d probably want to do something with the Cardinals and extract a couple of pitching prospects.

Last week, Jon Heyman of FRS Baseball painted the picture of the Phillies as the favorite to land the former No. 3 overall pick. Cafardo seems to believe St. Louis’ wealth of pitching prospects could appeal to the Orioles more than any other team’s potential offer.

Machado and Harper to Philly?

Machado, 25, owns a .312/.380/.591 slash line with 18 HR and 50 RBI. With a date with free agency on the horizon, Machado isn’t a long-term play for anyone at the deadline. While a few months in, say, Philadelphia or Atlanta could help those teams in an offseason pitch, no one around the sport expects an in-season contract extension.

The Angels, Brewers and Mariners are all relatively new to the weekly Machado rumor roundup, but could be intriguing fits down the stretch.

Joe Giglio may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.