Cleveland Indians: What could a Machado trade look like?

Recently, it was reported that the Cleveland Indians were in contact with the Baltimore Orioles in trade discussions for star third baseman Manny Machado.

It’s well known that Manny Machado has been on the trade market this winter. And with the knowledge that the Indians were interested in acquiring him, it’s fair to speculate as to what type of deal would get Machado in an Indians uniform.

Machado is only under contract for one more season. He’ll be a free agent next year and there’s little chance of any team signing him to an extension beforehand. Even if the Tribe were to acquire Machado, they would have to understand that it’s a pure one year rental and the odds of keeping him are practically nonexistent.

Even for a one year rental, the price tag on Machado will be exceptionally high. It’s so high right now, that no one is willing to pay it because they will look foolish when they can’t sign him. And the teams that can afford to sign him will have no need to pay the prospect price when they can get him the next year for nothing.

So, the only teams who make sense for Machado are the ones that are in World Series or bust mode in 2018. That could very well include the Cleveland Indians. With the championship window getting smaller, the Indians will need to make the best of their chance while it’s still there.

Machado makes any team better. Even though the Tribe’s offense can do just fine without the addition of Machado, him being in the lineup couldn’t hurt.

What could a trade look like?

Based on the Orioles needs and the Indians’ positions of strength, I would speculate a potential trade looking something like this.

Salazar has a big arm, but in a rotation full of big arms and a lot of depth, the Tribe can afford moving Salazar. They have been open to moving him all winter, and now is the perfect opportunity. He pitched to a 4.28 ERA last year and could go from near the back of the rotation in Cleveland, to the front of Baltimore’s rotation. The Orioles are an organization starving for pitching. They need Salazar in a trade.

Their need for pitching is also why Triston McKenzie is included in this deal. As one of the top right handed pitching prospects in baseball, McKenzie holds great value. He is the big name prospect that the Orioles need to get in a return for Machado. McKenzie posted a 3.46 ERA in High-A Lynchburg in 2017 and is expected to start 2018 in Double-A.

Also thrown in is Greg Allen. As one of the Indians’ top ten prospects, Allen should also hold value to the Orioles. He will be hard pressed to find a long term role in Cleveland with Bradley Zimmer here for the foreseeable future. Adam Jones is a free agent for Baltimore next winter, a part of the huge class of star studded players. At age 33 next offseason, perhaps the Orioles will look to move on from Jones and Allen could be the starting center fielder in Baltimore. He won’t get the opportunity here.

A combination of these three players could be enough to entice the Orioles to make the deal. They get a quality starting pitcher, which they desperately need, plus they get a pitching prospect with very high potential that could be ready in 2019. Also, they get potentially their center fielder of the future. That deal should be good enough from their end to trade one year’s worth of Manny Machado.

Whether the Indians or Orioles would accept this trade is a different story. It should be enough for Baltimore but they’ve been said to have an unrealistic asking price. The Indians may not want to give up a potential future frontline starter, but with the current rotation locked up for the next several years, it could be hard to find room for him. Allen also could be nice to have around if Michael Brantley or Lonnie Chisenhall suffer injuries and/or are lost to free agency next winter.

That’s just one speculative trade option if the Cleveland Indians were to acquire Manny Machado. There are no reports that talks are serious or even ongoing. But talks did happen, and they could reignite at a moment’s notice.

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With the slow offseason moving at its current pace, it will be a miracle to see Machado or anyone traded at all. At some point, something’s gotta give. Perhaps a Machado trade could be enough to start the avalanche of movement.