Fansided

MLB Trade Rumors: Top 10 remaining offseason trade candidates

By Joshua Sadlock

MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 15: Christian Yelich #21 of the Miami Marlins walks through the dugout before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 15, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 15: Christian Yelich #21 of the Miami Marlins walks through the dugout before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 15, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 24: Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles bats against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 24, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 24: Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles bats against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 24, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

10. Manny Machado

This is a trade that should get made, but probably won’t be. The Baltimore Orioles are about to fall off a cliff next year when Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Zach Britton and Brad Brach hit free agency. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are loading up. The Orioles have made zero moves to address the three holes in their starting rotation behind Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman.

The writing is definitely on the wall — Machado ain’t sticking around for the next ten years. He gone.

Baltimore owner Peter Angelos is the one holding things up because he has never been willing to commit to a full rebuild. The Orioles sunk to last place last year and have not been able to do anything to remedy their many woes on the mound. They will not make the playoffs in 2018 barring a miracle and need to find a way to get maximum value when they do trade their All-Star third baseman. The return will still be solid if the Orioles wait to trade Machado until the middle of the year, but why keep pushing off the inevitable?

Instead, the Orioles will probably wait out the market for starting pitching, sign one or two underwhelming names and try their best to contend in the first half. They’ll probably play Machado at third base despite his desire to move back to shortstop, completely torching any hope of re-signing him in the process. Finally, after finishing the first half well below .500 thanks to a shoddy rotation, the Orioles will trade Machado at the deadline and hope for the best.

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