Atlanta Braves trade rumors: Machado sweepstakes entering final phase?

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BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 16: Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 16, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

My Take

I don’t believe that the Braves will get Machado. Not unless they clearly win the auction strongly enough to convince the Orioles to allow a window of opportunity for a contract extension discussion with the player and his agent. That’s a very rare thing, and I don’t expect Atlanta to make that kind of overpay.

I do expect the Braves to be much more involved in the discussion for Britton’s services, and they might actually end up with that player.

So who gets Machado?

If the Dodgers want him bad enough (or don’t want Arizona to get him bad enough), then they will win.
Arizona might be doing an ‘all in’ approach and could opt to overpay (they got J.D. Martinez last season, which worked out well for them).

I think it comes down to one of those 2 teams. You could argue that whichever gets him wins the NL West with the also-ran getting relegated to a dogfight to reach the Wild Card game.

Of course, you could surmise that the same logic holds for the NL East.

The Yankees could jump in if they go big, but as noted above, they’d have to deal high and hard on price to allow Baltimore to swallow such a transaction.

Off Topic

More from Tomahawk Take

As an aside (this is definitely “burying the lead” stuff), there’s also this teaser from Carfado in today’s same lengthy article:

"Craig Kimbrel — He is first and foremost on Dombrowski’s plate, and Red Sox ownership will have to think about whether to re-sign the closer. Kimbrel can certainly make a legitimate case for an Aroldis Chapman deal of five years, $86 million. Will the Red Sox go there for a closer? It’s tough enough for the Red Sox to commit big dollars and years to starters, let alone closers. … The Red Sox would have to think about a cheaper possibility such as Baltimore lefthander Zach Britton, who would likely not demand the salary Kimbrel will demand."

So Carfado is effectively suggesting that the Red Sox might end up parting ways with old friend Craig Kimbrel. A homecoming, perhaps?

Next: Braves Best Brewers... finally.

Ah, but that’s a topic for this Winter.

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