How Real is the Indians Pursuit of Orioles Power Hitter Manny Machado?

Depending on who are listening to today, there’s still a rumbling that the Indians are still very much interested in finding a way to add Orioles shortstop and slugger Manny Machado to their roster through a deal.

Machado has been rumored to be the apple of the Indians eye for sometime, as the reported talks of the Indians wanting Machado started way back in January, and there was even a report two weeks back that the Tribe was still in the top four of teams he might end up going to.

The Orioles are awful this season at 24-60, and there’s no doubt more than ever they will be a seller at the trade deadline, if not before.

Last season Machado hit 33 homers with 95 runs batted in and hit .259 for the Orioles, and through 83 games this year is hitting .311 with 21 homers and 59 runs batted in.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweeted out today that it looks like both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Indians are two teams that will fight to get Machado.

Sources: Manny Machado trade conversations between #DBacks and #Orioles have been “consistent.” @Ken_Rosenthal reported Arizona and Cleveland might be the most motivated suitors in Machado talks. @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 4, 2018

Another report, this time from Dayn Perry from CBS Sports says that there’s as many as eight teams that might look to make an offer for Machado, but while the Indians are one of those teams, the front runners according to CBS Sports HQ MLB analyst Jim Bowden are the Philadelphia Phillies and St.Louis Cardinals.

So what would the Indians have to give up for Machado, and where would they plug him in? It would likely take a huge deal that would not only involve Major League talent, but a prospect or two at the same time.

Think of names like Shane Beiber, Adam Plutko, Mike Clevinger, Bradley Zimmer, and young minor league talent like Francisco Mejia and Triston McKenzie to be names bantered about if the Indians are to try and make such a mega deal.

One issue with Machado is that he doesn’t fit the long term game plan of the Indians, as he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season, and as always big markets like New York with the Yankees and Boston will be in the mix for his services, ready to throw plenty of money at him.

If the Tribe somehow can land Machado, it’ll spell the end likely for Jason Kipnis, as the Indians would almost for sure move Jose Ramirez to second, keeping Francisco Lindor at short and putting Machado at third, a position he played 156 times in 2017.

It will be a crazy month for sure leading to the trade deadline, and there will be plenty of calls made to try and put the Indians into an even better position come the 2018 postseason.