The Manny Machado trade rumors have calmed down a bit over the past few weeks but there’s still that cloud hanging over the Chicago Cubs and whether or not they will make a move for the Baltimore Orioles superstar.
Machado is in the final year of his deal with the Orioles and with the team not going to the playoffs, he’s expected to be traded ahead of the July deadline.
The Cubs are considered one of the favorites to land him as a report stated Machado would be their main target. With Addison Russell being the name thrown into the trade rumors, the biggest concern comes in the form of Machado being just a rental. The Cubs likely wouldn’t want to trade Russell and his years of control for just a few months of Machado.
The shortstop has already expressed he would like to test free agency at the end of the year but now a new report may be in favor of the Cubs.
Robert Murray of FRS Baseball wrote on Monday morning about Machado’s situation and dropped this nugget:
I think they’ll hold onto Manny Machado. I think they should trade him – it shouldn’t be up for debate. I just don’t think ownership will let it happen. In the odd chance they do trade Machado, the team I’d watch for is the Chicago Cubs.
One person close to Machado believes if there was a team he’d consider re-signing with before hitting free agency, it’s the Cubs.
Murray does say he thinks the Orioles will hold on to Machado, which would be puzzling on their part. But the thing to note is that Machado would consider re-signing with a team before free agency.
That team? The Cubs.
If that’s the case, then the trade of Russell for Machado looks more appealing. The Cubs have gone all in once before, trading Gleyber Torres for a few months of Aroldis Chapman. The move paid off with a World Series title and Torres is raking for the Yankees right now.
As the weather heats up in Chicago, so will the trade talks. Theo Epstein and Co. will have a big decision to make come July.
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