In his latest Inside Baseball notes column, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports writes that while many expect the Orioles to focus on pitching help in the seemingly inevitable event that they shop Manny Machado to contending clubs, some familiar with the team’s thinking also believe they’ll be keen on pursuing additional infield talent. With Machado hitting the market at season’s end and Jonathan Schoop only controlled through 2019, the O’s are set to lose two of the league’s better infielders in a short period of time. Prospect Ryan Mountcastle could conceivably emerge as an option in the infield, though he began the season on the DL with a fractured hand, and there’s been quite a bit of debate as to where he’ll fit on the field. Heyman also notes that he spoke to a scout who said that setup man/closer Brad Brach’s stuff is “a little down” thus far in 2018, though the same scout offered no hesitation in stating that he’d “still take” Brach in his team’s bullpen.
Here’s more out of Baltimore…
- Eduardo A. Encina provides some insight into the injury that sent righty Darren O’Day to the 10-day disabled list with a hyperextended right elbow. O’Day explains that a “freak accident” occurred during the middle innings of Tuesday’s game as he began stretching and getting loose. A teammate inadvertently ran into his arm while he was stretching it, hyperextending the right elbow and initially causing O’Day to fear that he’d suffered a serious injury. An MRI revealed no structural damage in O’Day’s right arm, and manager Buck Showalter actually said that the MRI was “remarkably good” for a pitcher in his mid-30s.
- Showalter also addressed the media about an injury sustained by infielder Engelb Vielma while playing with Triple-A Norfolk (link via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). Vielma suffered a broken patella when chasing down a foul pop and tripping over a bullpen mound in foul territory, ultimately smashing his knee into a portion of exposed concrete at the Durham Bulls’ field (the Rays’ top affiliate). Showalter was not shy about expressing his anger over the matter calling the injury both “brutal” and suggesting it could have easily been avoided. “It’s hard for me to imagine in today’s game that we can’t make that mandatory, Triple-A and Double-A and the big leagues,” said the skipper. “We have mounds on the playing field. Really? It just infuriates me.” There’s no timeline on Vielma’s return, though Showalter said it’ll be “an extended period.” The 23-year-old defensive whiz made his big league debut with the O’s earlier this season, though he made just eight plate appearances in six games. Both pieces from Encina and Kubatko have additional quotes from a lengthy Showalter rant that expresses his frustration with the circumstances that led to the injury.
“expect the Orioles to focus on pitching help……… Manny Machado….. some familiar with the team’s thinking also believe they’ll be keen on pursuing additional infield talent”
Sure, might as well get everything. Top 100 list pitching and position prospects for two months of Machado.
Dodgers need to get going soon or their best move will be tanking for the 1st pick.
Too late. They aren’t catching Baltimore or the White Sox.
Or the reds. As bad as the White Sox have been, I can’t see them finishing worse than Baltimore or Cincinnati
Thinking the dodgers should tank for the first pick is a ridicoulous overreaction. They are good enough where they couldn’t if they tried
What would it take to get Machado to forfeit free agency and sign now, 10/350?
Probably closer to 400 if he’s not going to test the water at all. I think he’s got his mind made up on hitting the open market.
Being so young, in ten year deal, how many opt outs? And after how many years?
I’d be willing to bet that, if the Os offered him10/350 he would jump at it. Not sure why, after last offseason, folks are still expecting both Machado and Harper to get much more than Stanton. Do you really think Machado would reject what would be a record high offer on the hope that someone will offer him more? That’s a really big chance to take. We’ll see what happens obviously, but I’d hate to be known as the agent who made a hundred million dollar miscalculation—and it could easily exceed that.
No.
Why not, Great Karnak
Best chance to retain Machado is to trade him, let him hit free agency, and hope that the market is like this past season and no one is willing to pony up the 10/350 everyone expects.
At least $400m easily. I honestly don’t know why people keep talking about this. If Machado is extended, it won’t be for an amount of money that would provide any surplus value. That’s why only teams that are trying to win now should be looking to trade for him.
And no one knows what makes you the expert to talk down to these people.
I wasn’t talking down to anyone?
I have a feeling he will go deep into the offseason and close to march before he signs. No team will go 10 years. I think hes gonna be closer to 280 for 7 years . Altlanta , st louis or cubs?
Cubs could float happ/russel and azilay plus filler for machafo. As a cards fan I would hate to see that hapen though.
Is that happ and Russell? I’d rather give up Happ at this point but obviously with Machado Russell sits but it’s not gonna happen, Theo already said he isn’t trading for rentals anymore
No he didn’t.
Theo is a talented gm and a gm will do whatever it takes to win. He has never ever said that.
This is one of those “I have the pulse of the FO” kind of guys.
The O’s really just need to focus on getting as much talent as possible, regardless of position.
Yes!…… As aCards fan that would scare the hell out of me because we are not an Organization that spends free agent money, though we do have the top trade chips but I don’t want to give up everything for a player who may or may not stick around.
The Cards would spend the money for the right player ! They just won’t throw the money away in free agency . It has to be the correct deal .
Machado must go now, Even if we were winning. This owner cannot put a winner on the table simply by overpaying on everyone. Not that he would.
The Giants have similar bullpens in SF. Mac Williamson just got hurt falling over the mound and hitting his head. I used to get seats by the Durham bullpen with my grandkids. Pitchers would give the kids candy.
What do you think the chances are that the braves get machado?
A teammate inadvertently ran into O’Day’s arm, of all places? Sounds like foul play
Is Vielma’s injury at all related to the O’s practice of constantly yo-yo’ing some players between their AAA team and the bigs, supposedly for some minute staffing advantage?
Are you suggesting he tripped over a mound, into a wall, breaking his knee…..because he was in the big leagues a week prior?