July 18, 2018
UPDATE [7:35 p.m.]: It seems like a potential issue over medical reports has been avoided as Manny Machado has officially been traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Los Angeles Dodgers for five prospects.
Manny Machado is officially a Dodger. pic.twitter.com/9j3pqAOMe9
— ESPN (@espn) July 18, 2018
Orioles getting Diaz, Kramer, Bannon, Pop, Valera, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 18, 2018
Zach Pop, while not among the #Dodgers’ top 30 prospects per @MLBPipeline.com, has a 1.04 ERA, 47 Ks and 13 BBs in 43 1/3 innings of relief at two levels in Class A this season.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 18, 2018
Source confirms: No cash going from #Orioles to #Dodgers. Machado owed about $6.3M for rest of season, but LAD still projected to be under luxury-tax threshold. Getting close to $197M threshold, though, as team also seeks a reliever.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 18, 2018
When assessing #Orioles’ return for Machado, remember that #Dodgers only are acquiring him for 66 games (plus potential postseason). Diaz, 21, was batting .314 with a .905 OPS at Double A. Rival exec: “Super talented, good player, a legit guy to get back for a rental.”
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 18, 2018
It’s impossible to say what an Orioles-Phillies deal would have looked like. But the Orioles delved extensively into background work on Adam Haseley, Adonis Medina, JoJo Romero and others. The Phillies could have matched the depth of the Dodgers offer but not the upside of Diaz.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 18, 2018
That leaves the Phillies turning their attention to what's left on the trade market with just under two weeks left until the trade deadline.
It's been a good summer for Los Angeles. Not so much for Philadelphia.
After weeks of rumors, offers, contemplating and perhaps a little sports soul searching, the Dodgers ultimately stepped up with the better offer for Orioles shortstop and third baseman Manny Machado very early Wednesday morning.
Machado deal to dodgers is agreed upon, tho could be still some medical/approval to go. Press conference slated for Wednesday or Thursday. Many prospects going to orioles (believed to be 5). No $ in deal (LA will remain under threshold anyway)
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 18, 2018
As Heyman says, the deal is pending medical clearances but as a reliable source, there is little reason to think the deal is not done.
The trade was also more or less confirmed by ESPN's Buster Olney, via Keith Olberman.
Here you go: @Buster_ESPN Olney reporting on @espnradio Dodgers and Orioles have a trade for Manny Machado
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) July 18, 2018
The All-Star will grab his belongings from Baltimore (just north of Washington, DC, site of the 2018 All-Star Game) and fly out west to join first place Dodgers — leading the Diamondbacks by just half a game in the NL West.
In the deal, L.A. will send five prospects, according to Heyman's report, to the O's in exchange for two months of Machado, who becomes a free agent this fall.
When he hits free agency, the Machado sweepstakes runners up from Philly will no doubt offer him a substantial deal as they are prepared to spend this offseason.
It had been surmised that the deal was done prior to the game Tuesday, which seems to be confirmed by the timing of the deal. Also, there seems to be a pretty good chance Machado knew himself.
There was a really cool moment in the second inning of this year’s All-Star Game as Manny Machado pulled out his phone and took a selfie at second base with his likely soon-to-be teammate Matt Kemp. https://t.co/WWtXYrROod pic.twitter.com/VVZAF8kkGc
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) July 18, 2018
Machado is hitting .315 with 24 homers this season. The Phillies, still in need of an infield bat, will turn their focus to a few other candidates like Adrian Beltre as the deadline approaches on July 31.
The fact that the Dodgers landed another superstar targeted by Philadelphia (LeBron James, of course, joined the Lakers earlier this month) has to make it sting just a little bit more.
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