Phillies trading for Manny Machado seems like long shot for 2018 season
By Dan Parzych
Despite all of the current trade rumors, the Philadelphia Phillies acquiring Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles still seems like a long shot.
With the 2018 MLB season right around the corner, the Philadelphia Phillies seem to be keeping themselves busy in this year’s Winter Meetings when looking at all of the potential players the team has been linked to, both in potential trades and free agent signings. At the moment, the Phillies still appear to be another year or two away from being contenders in the National League when looking at the young talent they have to work with, but that doesn’t mean the team won’t consider all options for long-shot players, including Manny Machado of the Baltimore Orioles.
After the 2018 season, Machado will become a free agent since his contract will officially be done with the team, and when looking at the kind of money the third baseman is going to be looking for, there will most likely only be a few select teams that can afford to bring him on board. Believe it or not, Philadelphia happens to be one of those teams that will have the money to spend that Machado will seek, although whether he would be willing to join a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since the 2011 season.
Realistically, the Phillies would most likely be able to figure out a way to pull of a trade with the Orioles at the moment to land Machado, but also the team realizes the kind of risk that would come with the deal if he weren’t going to be around for the long run. In other words, as great as it would be to see Machado suit up for Philadelphia this year, fans need to slow down the hype trade since it’s unlikely to happen.
Phils would seek negotiating window if they could forge deal w: O’s on machado. They love machado, he knows their execs (MacPhail drafted him for Balt) and they have $. But asked if MM, 1 year from free agency, would grant negotiating window, person involved said: “probably not”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 13, 2017
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For a player that will be 26 by the end of next season, and has hit 105 home runs over the last three years, Machado is smart enough to realize that waiting another year to negotiate a long-term deal would most likely result in more money. Sorry Philadelphia fans, but the chances of this dream scenario involving Machado joining the team for the 2018 season seems unlikely to happen when taking all factors into consideration.