Fantasy Baseball 2018: Manny Machado Trade Scenarios
By Neil Ragavan
Manny Machado has been one of the most productive players for Fantasy Baseball owners this season despite being on a terrible team. How will his fantasy impact change if he gets traded?
With the trade deadline a little over a month away, the hot stove is starting to heat up, especially when it concerns Orioles superstar Manny Machado. Machado is in the final year of his contract with the Orioles, and considering the Orioles are currently the worst team in baseball, it is very unlikely he will re-sign with them after the conclusion of this season. This article explores some teams that Manny Machado could get traded to this season, and also how being on each of those teams would affect Machado’s impact for Fantasy Baseball owners in 2018.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona is one of the newer teams to join the Manny Machado sweepstakes. Jon Morosi of FOX Sports and MLB Network tweeted about discussions between Arizona and Baltimore about Machado on Monday:
Sources: #DBacks, #Orioles have been in contact about a possible Manny Machado trade this season. Dialogue remains open between the clubs. This is viewed as due diligence on Arizona’s part as the team’s needs become clear. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 19, 2018
This isn’t too much of a surprise. Last year, Arizona acquired J.D. Martinez from Detroit mid-season, and he only went on to hit an astounding 29 home runs in just 62 games for them. Arizona probably regrets not re-signing Martinez, who is currently having an MVP-type year for Boston. Machado could be what Martinez was last year for Arizona. Machado would greatly benefit from this move as well. He would be going to a hitter friendly ballpark in Arizona, where the Diamondbacks are 8th in runs scored at home. He would also be hitting in a lineup with the likes of Paul Goldschmidt, who finished third in NL MVP voting last season, and A.J. Pollock, who won NL Player of the Month in April.
Chicago Cubs
This scenario would impact Manny Machado positively for two big reasons. Firstly, he would be going to a well-run, stable organization with Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon at the helm. Secondly, he would be joining an offense that is currently fifth in runs scored and fourth in batting average. Having Manny Machado alongside Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez would give the Cubs the best infield in baseball by a mile. Machado would see better pitches to hit consistently, and will be able to drive in and score more runs in a lineup full of stars. This move would make the Cubs not only the favorites to win the NL Central, but also probably the favorites to win the NL Pennant.
New York Yankees
Talk about the rich getting richer. Everyone considered the Yankees to be a super team when they acquired reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton this past winter. Adding Manny Machado would make the Yankees clear World Series favorites.
The Yankees certainly have the pieces to get Machado, as they have one of the top farm systems in the league, according to MLB.com. They would most likely have to center a package around one or two of their top young stars, most likely Clint Frazier or Miguel Andujar. Would the Yankees do that? With the way Andujar is playing this season, it’s unlikely. Furthermore, the Yankees could just wait until the offseason to try to sign Machado, rather than give up prospects for him. However, if this somehow does happen, good luck to the rest of the league. Machado has hit pretty well at Yankee Stadium as a visitor. His stats would inflate dramatically if he played half his games there. Not only does this idea have Yankee fans excited, it has Aaron Judge excited as well.
Atlanta Braves/Philadelphia Phillies
I’m putting the Braves and Phillies in one group because they both are in very similar situations. Both have been big surprises in a division that a lot of people thought the Nationals would run away with. Both have young, talented, hungry rosters that have both clubs looking like legit playoff contenders in mid-June. And most importantly for Baltimore and their trade needs, both have very talented farm systems.
In terms of fantasy impact, Machado’s numbers would probably be better on the Braves. They have a much better offense than the Phillies, and the Phillies also don’t have a player near the level of Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, who with Manny Machado, would make a devastating 1-2 punch. However, the Phillies have an exciting core of young players, including Odubel Herrera, Rhys Hoskins, and Scott Kingery. Plus, with all the recent sports success in that town, maybe Machado can be the catalyst to another Phildelphia title run.
St. Louis Cardinals
If the Cubs are interested in Manny Machado, there is no doubt their NL Central rivals will be thinking along the same lines. The Cardinals could certainly benefit from a bat like Machado. Their offense has not been great this season, and their young shortstop Paul DeJong has been recovering from a broken hand for the past month. Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com gave an update about DeJong on Saturday:
Paul DeJong is ready to start hitting again after giving his surgically-repaired left hand a month to heal. More on his progress and timetable in today's #STLCards notebook: https://t.co/t89gTnpzII
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) June 17, 2018
The Cardinals have invested long-term in DeJong, but there is no guarantee he will return to his usual self when comes off the DL. Machado would certainly have a profound impact on this lineup, but it remains to be seen whether or not this lineup can help Machado improve his stats. Marcell Ozuna and Tommy Pham have been pretty good for the Cards, but compared to the other teams mentioned, the Cardinals don’t have the same type of star power, so it is less than likely that Machado’s fantasy numbers would be dramatically better in St. Louis.
Los Angeles Dodgers/Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles would certainly suit a Florida native like Manny Machado quite well. Both L.A. teams are good enough to justify giving up a lot to get him, but both teams have tricky situations to navigate if they were to do so.
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The Dodgers have been linked to Machado ever since they lost Corey Seager for the season. The Dodgers also have the prospects to execute this trade. The issue for the Dodgers is that even if they land Machado, they most likely wouldn’t retain him in the offseason. Seager would most likely have returned by then, and Justin Turner is already at third base for them. Unless one of those three moved to second base, it would be hard for the Dodgers to keep all three. All that aside, Machado on the Dodgers would be a welcome site for fantasy owners. He would be joining a great run-scoring offense, and he would get to play a bunch of games at Coors Field and Chase Field, both hitter-friendly ballparks.
The Angels could be an intriguing spot for Machado as well. However, unlike the Dodgers, they don’t have a great farm system. It would therefore be a lot harder for them to sell the Orioles front office on their minor-league talent. However, they could center a trade around shortstop Kevin Maitain, one of their top prospects. Fantasy-wise, the Angels would improve Machado’s numbers and value tremendously. Their offense has been strong this season, and they have the best player in the world in Mike Trout. Talk about lineup protection.
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