Baltimore Orioles

Seven teams have reportedly made the Baltimore Orioles trade offers for shortstop Manny Machado.

According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun, a source said the offers rank in the following order from best to worst: Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs.

Encina also noted that all the offers are "very close" in terms of how the Orioles view them.

The 26-year-old Machado is in the midst of an All-Star-caliber season, as he is hitting .310 with 21 home runs and 60 RBI. He is currently on pace to set career highs across the board.

Machado can become a free agent during the offseason, and with no contract extension coming together, the O's have a great deal of motivation to trade him.

Baltimore is the worst team in Major League Baseball this season at 24-64.

Machado is one of the best young players in baseball from a hitting perspective, and he is also capable of playing great defense at shortstop or third base, which adds to his value.

Six of the seven teams rumored to have made offers for Machado are from the National League, which suggests Machado could significantly shake up the NL race down the stretch.

That is especially true in the NL West since the Dodgers and D-backs reportedly have the two best offers on the table.

Arizona holds a one-game lead over L.A. in the NL West, but the Dodgers have been making steady progress since a slow start to the season.

Despite reportedly having the best offer, the Dodgers reportedly have not included outfield prospect Alex Verdugo or pitching prospect Yadier Alvarez, per Encina.

The Orioles rank 28th in Major League Baseball with a team ERA of 4.82, which suggests they may value young, talented pitchers in a Machado trade.

Any team that deals for Machado will be taking a significant chance since he can leave for nothing next offseason in free agency.

He is an elite player, however, and acquiring him could mean the difference between making the World Series and falling short, especially in the wide-open NL.

The non-waiver trade deadline is on July 31, meaning Machado will likely be on the move before that date.

The Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly been involved in "consistent" trade talks regarding shortstop Manny Machado, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

Morosi added Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports noted the D-backs and Cleveland Indians may be the "most motivated" suitors in the Machado discussions.

Machado is set to become a free agent after the season.

The three-time All-Star, who will turn 26 on Friday, is one of the best players in Major League Baseball.

Despite the pressures of a contract year, Machado is on pace for his best season.

He is hitting .311 with a .378 on-base percentage, 21 home runs and 59 RBI through 83 games.

Although the Orioles would likely love to re-sign Machado, there has seemingly been no movement on a contract extension, and it is widely expected he'll test the free-agent market.

That could hurt Baltimore's potential return since Machado may be nothing more than a rental, but getting some value out of him rather than losing him for nothing will be paramount in the Orioles' rebuilding efforts.

At 24-60, the O's are MLB's worst team, which suggests they need to stockpile as much young talent as possible.

On the flip side, the Diamondbacks lead the NL West at 48-38, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are closing quickly and are 1.5 games back.

Arizona has plenty of openings for Machado in its lineup.

Shortstop Nick Ahmed is hitting .223 with 10 homers and 33 RBI, while third baseman Jake Lamb is hitting .250 with six home runs and 26 RBI.

Machado could play either spot and provide a huge boost to Arizona's offense.

The Diamondbacks are 15th in Major League Baseball in runs scored and 18th in home runs.

Part of the reason for their offensive struggles is the fact that key contributors A.J. Pollock (thumb) and Steven Souza Jr. (pectoral) have been injured. Pollock just returned, however, and Souza is on the verge of coming back.

Adding Machado to the mix with them and five-time All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt would suddenly give Arizona one of the league's most potent lineups.

Considering how weak the National League is in comparison to the American League, it can be argued that the Diamondbacks would become World Series favorites in the NL if they landed Machado.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colby Rasmus is retiring from Major League Baseball at the age of 31.

Per Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun, Rasmus informed Orioles manager Buck Showalter that he was "going to go home and discontinue his career."

Rasmus, who agreed to a minor league deal with the Orioles in February, only played in 18 games this season. He was placed on the disabled list in April with a sore hip and recently returned to the lineup on June 21 and hit a home run off Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer. 

He was a first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005. The Georgia native made his MLB debut four years later, finishing eighth in National League Rookie of the Year voting. 

His best season came in 2010 with a .276/.361/.498 slash line and 23 home runs in 144 games. 

Rasmus played with five different teams in his MLB career, including the Cardinals, Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays. 

Trade talks involving Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado have reportedly "accelerated" as the MLB non-waiver trade deadline looms July 31.

On Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the O's have amplified their efforts to deal the impending free agent and hope moving him about a month before the deadline could yield a greater return.

Machado is on pace for a career-best offensive season as he prepares to hit the open market.

The 25-year-old Florida native has posted a .310/.377/.564 triple-slash line with 21 home runs and five stolen bases through 82 appearances. His .941 OPS is 65 points higher than his previous high in 2016.

"I go out there and play baseball. I'm not getting distracted by any of this," he told reporters in May. "All these talks, rumors, they're all rumors and talks. At the end of the day I got to go out there and perform and win games for this ballclub. We're trying to make a push for things and we're a little behind, but we've got to keep pushing forward."

The Orioles own baseball's worst record at 24-59, giving the front office little incentive to keep the infielder, who's spent most of his career at third base, without an extension in place.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Los Angeles Dodgers are viewed as the favorite to land Machado in a blockbuster trade. The Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers are among the other contenders.

The New York Yankees are expected to make a strong push to sign him in free agency during the winter, with the Philadelphia Phillies providing competition, per Nightengale.

In a Machado trade, Baltimore will likely look to significantly restock a prospect group that was ranked 24th by MiLB.com before the season.

One day after a gunman killed five staffers at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, the Baltimore Orioles paid tribute to those who died in the attack. 

The team held a moment of silence before Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels:

Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun tweeted video of the on-field tribute:

The team also paid their respects with a touching tribute in the press box:

John McNamara, Rob Hiaasen, Wendi Winters, Gerald Fischman and Rebecca Smith were all shot and killed on Thursday. McNamara was a longtime sports reporter and spent more than two decades working for the newspaper.

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado publicly apologized for not hustling when he hit into a double play during Tuesday's 3-2 loss against the Seattle Mariners.

"At the end of the day, there's no excuse for not running it out," Machado said, per Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. "I take full responsibility for not running. I should have run hard. It looks bad. It looks bad for people who follow me, people who look up to me, and I fully apologize for letting people down, but next time, I'll run. There's no excuse for that."

Machado—who casually trotted as the double play was completed, during which a run scored—added that he didn't think he would have safely reached first base even if he had been running at full speed. But the fans who rained down a chorus of boos after the play didn't seem to care.

The All-Star shortstop said he didn't notice the fans' reaction.

"I don't hear that. I don't hear any of that," he said. "I'm really trying to be in the zone. I'm trying to win, trying to win games. I'm trying to block that out. That's what you have to do when you're in the big leagues. You can't hear the boos. You can't hear people cheering for you either. You have to keep yourself on that field and let your play dictate everything else."

Baltimore fans may be a bit raw when it comes to Machado these days as rumors continue to circulate that he'll be traded this summer. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Wednesday that the Los Angeles Dodgers were "poised to land" Machado and "clear-front favorites" in that pursuit.

Other clubs, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals, have been linked to the star infielder, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com.

It's no surprise teams around baseball are clamoring to land Machado. The 25-year-old is hitting .301 with 19 homers and 55 RBI this season and is already a three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner. He'll be one of the top free agents in baseball this winter, alongside Bryce Harper, and could ink a deal worth over $300 million.

But it's also no surprise that Orioles fans may be disinclined to offer him any slack, as his days in Baltimore are almost assuredly numbered.

The Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly discussed a trade involving Orioles shortstop Manny Machado.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the news, noting "dialogue remains open between the clubs." However, he pointed out this is more "due diligence" for the Diamondbacks as they assess the team's needs.

Machado figures to be a highly publicized trade target considering he is set to be an unrestricted free agent following the 2018 season.

The Orioles are an abysmal 20-50 and sit in last place in the American League East this season, 27.5 games back of the New York Yankees. They are not looking like a contender anytime soon, and trading Machado before he potentially leaves as a free agent would allow them to land some young pieces to accelerate a rebuild.

Machado would be a head-turning addition for the Diamondbacks or any other team as a three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glover. He is slashing .310/.377/.567 with 18 home runs and 53 RBI this year after drilling at least 33 home runs in each of the last three seasons.

He is one of the best offensive players in the league and is only 25 years old, so Baltimore could command a high price for him, especially early in discussions.

However, his defense has not been as effective since switching from third base to shortstop, and he is responsible for an ugly minus-15 defensive runs saved this season, per FanGraphs. Still, Machado would represent an offensive upgrade for a Diamondbacks team attempting to stave off the Los Angeles Dodgers’ charge in the National League West.

Arizona is 13th in the league in total runs and needs more consistent offensive production if it is going to reach the playoffs and challenge the best teams in October.

Machado would provide just that in a potential win-now window.

Baltimore Orioles star Manny Machado could be the biggest name dealt before the MLB non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, and the Boston Red Sox are among the teams interested, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Red Sox reportedly contacted the Orioles about a potential deal, although a trade might not happen because of Boston's weak farm system.    

"[Red Sox] president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski concluded the teams likely do not match up on a trade at this time," Rosenthal reported.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter listed the Red Sox with the No. 27 farm system following the MLB draft earlier this month, and it could be even worse with each of the team's top players unavailable.

Third baseman Michael Chavis was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, while pitcher Jay Groome underwent Tommy John surgery in May.

The system has also been gutted over the past few years in trades for Chris Sale, Eduardo Nunez, Addison Reed, Tyler Thornburg and more.

Still, the Red Sox are top contenders for the 2018 World Series, and adding a star like Machado could go a long way toward securing a title.

Machado entered the year with three All-Star selections and two seasons with finishes in the top 10 of American League MVP voting, but he has been even better in 2018. His .310 batting average and .945 OPS would be career highs, and he already has 18 home runs in 69 games.

Adding in the fact that he can play either shortstop or third base, he would be a huge upgrade for any team.

Machado, who turns 26 in July, is also in the final year of his contract, meaning the Orioles would likely want to trade him before letting him go for nothing. Still, the Red Sox will likely have to outbid a lot of teams in order to acquire the superstar.   

Former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti has interviewed for an executive position with the Baltimore Orioles, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. 

Rosenthal added it's "unclear how quickly the Orioles will act, if at all, and what impact would be on executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter."

The Orioles are a major league-worst 19-49 and are candidates to embrace a full-blown rebuild assuming they part ways with contract-year shortstop Manny Machado at the trade deadline. 

Baltimore could also dangle outfielder Adam Jones and closer Zach Britton, both of whom will be unrestricted free agents in the offseason. 

Colletti, 64, served as the Dodgers' GM from 2006 to 2014 and was moved into a senior advisory role when L.A. hired Andrew Friedman as his successor. He's currently working as an analyst for SportsNet LA. 

A Baltimore bar is trying to drum up business with a promotion built around Chris Davis' historically bad start to the 2018 season. 

Per Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun, Bartenders Pub is offering patrons free Dr Pepper shooters whenever the Orioles first baseman gets a hit. 

"Baseball season for us is big business," Bartenders Pub co-owner Dana Coker said. "With the team not doing so well, it's affected our business. We just can't seem to do any specials that encourage people to come to the bar and watch baseball with us."

In 57 games, Davis is hitting .150/.227/.227 with 86 strikeouts in 207 at-bats. His wins above replacement is minus-2.1, per Baseball Reference. 

In MLB history, the worst season by WAR from a position player to qualify for a batting title was Jerry Royster with the Atlanta Braves in 1977 at minus-4.0.