Manny Machado time?

Phil Gurnee ♦ April 30, 2018 ♦ 1 Comment

With the news that Corey Seager is headed for surgery and will miss the rest of the 2018 season, it just so happens that possibly the best shortstop in baseball is actually available if the Dodgers decide to make a play for him.

I have pretty much ignored all the Manny Machado trade talk since the Dodgers had no place to put him, but that landscape has dramatically changed. No team in baseball needs Manny Machado as much as the Dodgers do right now.

He’s a one-year rental and the price will be high. How high, I have no idea but this is what I’d be putting together.

Package One – All players bubbling at the major league level who are under team control for quite a while.  Have to say, this is more quantity than quality but the Orioles have so many holes that each of these players could actually find playing time.

• Alex Verdugo – ready to be their starting right fielder. Top positional prospect in the Dodger system.
• Edwin Rios – ready to challenge Pedro Alvarez/Trumbo for DH duties. Has bat with no place to play.
• Brock Stewart – ready to step into the rotation
• Tim Locastro  – could be their shortstop
• Manny Banuelos –

Package two – Prospect Package – One from each level

• Alex Verdugo – ready to be their starting right fielder. Top positional prospect in the Dodger system.
• Dennis Santana – ready to step into the rotation next year or possibly even help this year. Santana has worked himself up the prospect ladder where some think he’s the second best pitching prospect in the Dodger system.
• Gavin Lux – 2016 number one pick

Package three – Mix n Max

• Kiké Hernandez – they will need a starting SS for Machado
• Alex Verdugo  or Andrew Toles
• Brock Stewart or Dennis Santana
• Will Smith or Connor Wong

Something bold

Chris Taylor – starting shortstop, Dodgers would need to play Joc in CF.

Andrew Toles – ready to be a starting outfielder when he comes off the DL

Brock Stewart – ready to be in the starting rotation

If I was the Orioles I think I’d have to look hard at package three.  I expect everyone will think they are overpaying for a one-year rental. They might be, but without Walker Buehler in the deal, you will need quantity with some quality. This is, after all, Manny Machado.

These are just spitballing idea’s, but I do hope the Dodgers are at least contacting the Orioles and checking into what it is going to take to bring Machado to Los Angeles for at least one year.