UPDATE (11:15 p.m. ET): In the words of The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers is “happening.”
Can report with more certainty: Machado to #Dodgers happening. Among remaining questions, in addition to specifics of return beyond OF Yusniel Diaz: How much money, if any, #Orioles will send #Dodgers to secure a better package and help ease LAD’s luxury-tax concerns.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 18, 2018
It appears the Orioles and Dodgers are just working out a few kinks, while 21-year-old prospect Yusniel Diaz will be the centerpiece of the package coming to Baltimore.
ORIGINAL STORY: Manny Machado will be wearing a Baltimore Orioles uniform Tuesday at the MLB All-Star Game, but it’s looking like he’ll be in Dodger blue by week’s end.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Los Angeles appears to be the impending landing spot for the star shortstop.
#Dodgers increasingly likely to land Machado, sources tell The Athletic. Barring last-minute snag, several of interested teams expect that outcome.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 17, 2018
Multiple teams — all playoff contenders — reportedly have been vying for Machado’s services. The 26-year-old wants to play shortstop and not slide back to third base, something that will be possible in LA with Corey Seager out for the season due to Tommy John surgery.
Machado will be a free agent this offseason and likely will command quite a bit on the open market, so while it is no slam dunk that the Dodgers will be able to re-sign him, it doesn’t appear they’ll have to give up any big league players to get him from Baltimore now.
Barring last-minute change, #Orioles’ return for Machado will include only prospects, no #Dodgers major leaguers, sources tell The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 17, 2018
In addition to his always-stellar defense, Machado is hitting .315 this season with 24 home runs.
