The Yankees are trying to make a push to acquire Manny Machado

Chris Cwik
·Staff writer

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado might be wearing pinstripes sooner than expected. The New York Yankees aren’t content to sign Machado during the offseason, the team reportedly is trying to get him right now.

The Yankees have shown “increased interest” in dealing for Machado, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Why are the Yankees trying to trade for Manny Machado?

Because the Yankees will do whatever is necessary to bring in good players, and Manny Machado is an exceptionally good player. The 26-year-old is hitting .313/.382/.560, with 21 home runs, this season.

While he’s received questionable defensive reports at shortstop, the Yankees would want him to play third, where he’s been an elite defender in the past. That might be a tough sell, however. Machado insisted he was a shortstop Monday night.

Do the Yankees have the pieces to trade for Manny Machado?

They do. The Yankees still have a deep farm system full of talented, young players. As Rosenthal notes, the Yankees could make the Orioles a stronger offer than the other teams that have been rumored to be looking at Machado.

Who else is in the running to acquire Manny Machado?

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been mentioned as a landing spot for Machado all season. That died down slightly after the club got off to a slow start, but with Los Angeles back in contention, Machado makes plenty of sense.

The Milwaukee Brewers have surprisingly entered the fray as well. The Brewers are not typically thought of as a huge buyer at the trade market, though the team pulled off trades for Zack Greinke and C.C. Sabathia the last time the team had an extended run of contention. Machado could be next.

Would the Orioles actually trade Manny Machado to the Yankees?

Teams normally prefer to avoid sending their star players to division rivals, though it may not matter in this case. Dan Duquette, the Orioles’ vice-president of baseball operations, indicated he would consider dealing Machado to teams in the division last season, according to Rosenthal.

The only thing the Orioles should care about is getting the best deal for their star. If that means Machado becomes a member of the Yankees a few months earlier than expected, that’s fine. At least Baltimore should get something decent out of it.

Manny Machado could wind up in pinstripes a few months earlier than most expected. (AP Photo)
Manny Machado could wind up in pinstripes a few months earlier than most expected. (AP Photo)

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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