Dodgers Rumors: Dodgers appear in lead for Manny Machado

All of baseball has been interested to hear where the top trade chip in the market is going after hearing he may not leave the All-Star break with his current team. Could he be heading to the Dodgers?

The Dodgers are certainly not afraid to make a splash in the trade market to help the team win. Last season, looking for a Robin to Clayton Kershaw‘s Batman, the team acquired top trade target Yu Darvish. However, the move that they’re now rumored to make could be an even bigger one.

Jon Heyman is reporting that the team that the Baltimore Orioles are nearing a deal with for Manny Machado is the Dodgers. The centerpiece prospect appears to be the star of the Futures Game Sunday evening, outfielder Yusniel Diaz, who hit two home runs in front of the national crowd.

While Heyman’s reports also indicate there would be other pieces, one critical piece of the deal is the financial offset, which would likely require the Orioles to take a salary back as part of the deal. The current rumor is that Logan Forsythe would be the player that the Dodgers would send to the Orioles to be able to remain under the luxury tax threshold.

Acquiring Machado would do tremendous things for the Dodgers roster and lineup. Since losing star shortstop Corey Seager to a season-ending Tommy John surgery, the team has primarily used Chris Taylor at shortstop, and while he’s been passable at the position, his versatility on the field would be able to be used better working at second base and getting a day in the outfield now and again as well.

With Seager returning in 2019, Machado would be a pure rental, which makes the haul for him likely to be a singular top prospect and likely some lower-level upside options as well as whatever financial considerations need to be taken.

While this wouldn’t seal the deal by any means, getting Machado would give the Dodgers the cap to the first half that saw them battle through tremendous adversity in injuries and still finish on a hot streak that put them in first place in the National League West heading into the MLB All-Star Game break.

So what do you think? Should the Dodgers trade for Machado? Is he worth moving Diaz for a rental, or would even more be on the table if you were sitting in Andrew Friedman’s seat? Comment below!!