Atlanta Braves trade rumors: Machado sweepstakes entering final phase?

The Baltimore Sun reports today that 7 teams are heavily in for the Orioles third baseman… and the offers are “close” among them.

It is from the keyboard of the Sun’s Eduardo Encina that we learn today of the candidacy of the Atlanta Braves in their pursuit of Manny Machado.  Interestingly enough, we also have a ranking of the suitors.

Right away, you can figure out the list MLB teams even mildly interested in Machado’s services based on casual glances at the current standings and their relative needs for third base or shortstop help:

• AL:  Boston, New York, Cleveland, Houston, Seattle… right now, that’s your playoff teams with nobody else within 7 games of even a Wild Card slot.
• NL:  Atlanta, Philly, Washington, Milwaukee, the Cubs, Cardinals, DBacks, Dodgers, Rockies, Giants.

So that’s 15 teams in contention.  But many can be eliminated based on their needs or… other considerations:

• Red Sox – no need
• Yankees – Angelos family would (probably) refuse to deal with them
• Mariners – non-competitive farm system
• Astros – no need
• Nationals – Angelos family would refuse to deal with them
• Rockies – no need
• Giants – no budget or farm system
• Cubs – no need (unless Bryant has an extended setback)

That leaves only Cleveland in the AL, Atlanta, Philly, maybe the Dodgers, DBacks, Brewers, and Cardinals on my list.

So let’s see what Encina has learned: (emphasis added)

"The Orioles have received offers from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs, and the offers rank in that order of appeal, according to the source. All the offers are said to be “very close” in appeal according to the source. Several other teams have checked in on Machado."

There are a couple of surprises here:

• seeing the Cubs on the list at all
• seeing the Braves 5th out of the top 7

Clearly, Atlanta has the prospect horsepower to trump any cards that any of these teams might put forth toward a Machado deal.  Clearly as well, they have chosen – for now – to hold those cards close at hand.

Of course, this is a contest in which the winner takes all:  no participation trophies will be handed out.

But wait, there’s more…

I’m going to preface this bit my saying that I tread carefully when quoting Nick Carfado of the Boston Globe.  Even in my post of MLB industry links, I noted that Carfado tends to post a lot of speculation, and that has led to some rumors that had not basis in fact whatsoever.

However, this point from him rings true.

"5. Zach Britton, LHP, Orioles — According to a major league source, there are “a couple” of scenarios where Britton could be traded in tandem with Machado or another Orioles reliever. Britton has been working toward knocking the rust off and seems to be making some progress. The Orioles are trying to get maximum return for him, but the fact he hasn’t pitched much the last two years doesn’t help."

One of those scenarios could certainly involve the Braves, who have perhaps the biggest needs for both bullpen and premium relief help (notwithstanding my opinion expressed previously that there’s not a terribly obvious fit at either 3B [offensively] or SS [defensively]).

Such a scenario would obviously come at a higher cost for the Braves, requiring them to not only match the Orioles’ expectations for an impact player in Machado, but also to overcome their desire to offload Britton at a decent price… a move that might better serve the Orioles via a separate trade.

Either way, it seems that while the Braves are attending this auction, they are behind in the bidding.