Fansided

5 teams that need to outbid the Cubs for Manny Machado trade

By Joshua Sadlock

BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 20: Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Indians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 20, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 20: Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Indians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 20, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 7: Starting pitcher Trevor Bauer #47 of the Cleveland Indians pauses on the mound during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on April 7, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Trevor Bauer
CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 7: Starting pitcher Trevor Bauer #47 of the Cleveland Indians pauses on the mound during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on April 7, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Trevor Bauer /

2. Cleveland Indians

If they’re not careful, the Cleveland Indians may find themselves in a similar predicament to the Orioles — a small-market team who just missed their window to win it all. The Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros all field better clubs on paper and have more financial resources to keep their roster together. Unlike some of their core pitchers, shortstop Francisco Lindor will not be signing a team-friendly extension. He will have his own chance at a $300-million deal after the 2021 season.

Even though they won 102 games last year and came within a game of winning the World Series in 2016, the Indians are off to their second straight slow start. Counting on a record-breaking winning streak to end this year is a risky bet, and there just isn’t as much buzz around this year’s team. Maybe that’s a better position to be in for the Tribe.

Second baseman Jason Kipnis has been arguably the worst full-time hitter in the big leagues so far this season, and the Indians can’t continue counting on a recovery from the two-time All-Star. Kipnis hit only .232/.291/.414 in an injury-plagued season last year and has gotten worse this year.

Manny Machado views shortstop as his long-term position, but he has no power to block a trade to a team that would move him back to third base, which is what the Indians would likely do while swapping All-Star Jose Ramirez over to second base and sending Kipnis to the bench. Cleveland is overflowing with young starting-pitching depth, the one thing the Orioles absolutely need.

The Indians probably won’t part with Mike Clevinger or Trevor Bauer to rent Machado for a few months, but if they desperately want him for this year’s playoff run, the Orioles would jump at the chance to acquire either of the talented starters.

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