Breaking down the three true outcomes of the Manny Machado drama

It’s Manny Machado Sweepstakes SZN, and it can go down one of three ways for the Baltimore Orioles.

The Three True Outcomes have come to rule Major League Baseball. Strikeout, walk, home run — they account for over a third of the league’s plate appearances this year. Considering how prevalent those three true outcomes are around baseball, let’s spin that into a metaphor for the rapidly-developing Manny Machado Sweepstakes being played out in Baltimore. The rumors continue to swirl, and the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers have separated themselves from the rest of the pack of contenders vying to acquire Machado.

For fans of the Baltimore Orioles, the reality that Machado will soon be wearing someone else’s jersey is painfully setting in. In the midst of a career year, the Orioles have cratered around their All-Star shortstop and could make history as a 120-loss team if the slide worsens after the trade deadline. The 26-year-old, who is destined to land a $300-million contract at the end of the year, has handled the rumors with grace.

The Machado trade could go down at any point between now and the trade deadline — although the Orioles will likely hold him through the All-Star Game at this point so that he can represent them one last time on the big stage. It’s a strange time to be an Orioles fan. Simultaneously mourning the loss of the biggest superstar in franchise history (with all due respect to Cal Ripken, Manny Machado is a once-in-a-generation baseball talent), looking forward to the addition of an elite prospect, all the while fretting over the possibility that the Orioles will botch the whole thing and get nothing in return.

So, without further ado, let’s break down the three true outcomes of the Manny Machado Sweepstakes for the Orioles.