MLB trade rumors: Orioles unlikely to trade Manny Machado

The Orioles are pulling back on their intentions to trade their prized third baseman Manny Machado after receiving offers they considered underwhelming, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reports.

According to Nightengale, Machado will remain in Baltimore for the 2018 season “unless someone drastically changes their offer.”

Multiple teams have been mentioned in the Machado sweepstakes, with the Diamondbacks and White Sox appearing to be the strongest in pursuit of the 25-year-old. The Yankees also expressed interest, but the Orioles appear set on keeping Machado out of the AL East if he’s not in an Orioles uniform.

The White Sox were once considered a favorite to land Machado, but the Orioles feared the White Sox would flip him to the Yankees, putting the O’s at risk of being torched by their former star 18 times a year. For now, the Orioles seem set on starting the season with Machado and perhaps seeing what the trade market is like come July.

Machado is a free agent at the end of the 2018 season, and the Orioles’ spending history suggests he won’t be in Baltimore much longer. He is coming off a down season that was doomed by an awful start, but he still managed to hit over 30 home runs for the third straight season.