MLB trade rumors: Landing a franchise player
Player: Manny Machado — Third base
Current team: Baltimore Orioles
Teams in the mix: St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies, and Washington Nationals
2017 statistics: .259/.310/.782. 33 home runs. 95 RBI
Chances of being traded: Probable
Current front-runner: Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are going all in this MLB hot stove “season,” by landing Ohtani and Kinsler, while like locking up Justin Upton to a long-term deal. With Mike Trout in his prime and Albert Puljos fading into the twilight, the time is now for the Angels.
The St. Louis Cardinals are high on Machado, but it’s likely they won’t want to give up their young talent to accomplish the deal. It’s also improbable that the Orioles send him to their hated rivals, the New York Yankees. Also, the thought of Machado mashing in Colorado is just astonishing, with his power a perfect fit for the thin air in Coors Field.
Machado’s 2017 salary was a modest $11.5 million, who is currently in year two of arbitration for 2018. Surely the O’s wouldn’t be foolish enough to send him to the already loaded Yankees? Would they? Please say they are wise enough to refrain.
Player: Andrew McCutchen — Outfield
Current team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Teams in the mix: New York Mets, and the San Francisco Giants
2017 statistics: .279./.363/.849. 94 runs. 28 home runs. 88 RBI.
Chances of being traded: 50/50
Current front-runner: New York Mets
The former National League MVP staggered out the gates in 2016 but finished the second half of the season strong. Heading towards the twilight of his career, McCutchen has 2-3 (potential) high caliber seasons.
But, teams like the Mets and Giants are both desperate to find production, so now is time to sell if you are the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, if both of these have the patience to wait out a season, McCutchen will be a free agent in 2019. But, there is a risk with that strategy, if McCutchen returns to his MVP self from seasons past. His 2018 salary is $14.5 million.