Baltimore Orioles Rumors: Manny Machado could be gone in 24-36 hours

The story with Baltimore Orioles Manny Machado continues to dominate the MLB airwaves.

Even though the Baltimore Orioles still do not have any depth in the starting pitching rotation, it’s Machado’s future with the team that is in question instead of filling that depth.

The pundits and experts at the national level are predicting that he could be gone sooner rather than later. And, it seems the most likely team to grab him is on the south side of Chicago. Yes, the White Sox are one of the few teams rumored to be interested in Machado according to Ken Rosenthal.

Why the Sox rumor doesn’t make sense

But, here’s the crazy thing. The White Sox, in the previous off-season, traded away Chris Sale and then they sold off nearly everyone else. Because of this, the Sox are loaded with prospects and have plenty of guys to trade to Baltimore. They are currently in “The Process” of rebuilding (tanking to get prospects) as the Houston Astros and the Chicago Cubs did a few years ago.

The big question is why would the White Sox trade away their top prospects for Machado when he would only be theirs for one season? Signing Machado would defeat the whole point of the sell-off from 2016. It just doesn’t make much sense. Especially since he would only be on the team for one guaranteed year. Guaranteed Rate Field is no Camden Yards, either. It is difficult to fall in love with that battleship of a stadium.

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In an article by Mark Gonzalez with the Chicago Tribune, Gonzalez proposes that the Orioles could ask for:

"“The Orioles are believed to be looking for starting pitching in a multiplayer package, and the Sox possess arguably the best pitching prospect in Michael Kopech, 21, who struck out 155 in 119 1/3 innings to go with a 2.88 ERA at Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte, as well as Lucas Giolito.”"

The O’s need pitching now

This would be quite a haul for Dan Duquette, but it would not take care of the immediate problem with the pitching staff. If the Orioles are going to trade Machado, they should be able to get some good prospects, but they really need pitching now. Unless the Orioles decide to embrace “The Process,” they will need proven pitching to contend with the powerful teams to the north.

But, the latest rumors, from MLB Network, involve the possibility that Machado could be gone in the next 24 to 36 hours. That’s this weekend.

Next: The Orioles Rule 5 draft picks

Will he join the White Sox? Or will the St. Louis Cardinals get him? Or the Phillies, who just signed Carlos Santana and look to be nearing the end of their tanking seasons? The next day or two could answer the question.