Dodgers land All-Star shortstop Manny Machado from Orioles
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the Manny Machado sweepstakes, getting the prized All-Star shortstop from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade Wednesday night.
The Orioles received five prospects: outfielder Yusniel Diaz, right-handers Dean Kremer and Zach Pop, and third basemen Rylan Bannon and Breyvic Valera.
Machado, a 26-year-old power hitter with extraordinary fielding skills, greatly improves the Dodgers’ chances of reaching the World Series for a second consecutive year. He led Baltimore in batting average (.315), home runs (24) and RBIs (65).
Machado is expected to be introduced in Milwaukee on Friday before the Dodgers open a series against the Brewers.
“We viewed Manny Machado as a big difference maker,” Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said.
The Dodgers are in a close race in the NL West, leading Arizona by a half-game going into the second half.
“Our first hope is we have a division-winning roster,” Zaidi said. “Any time you have a chance to add an impact player in a tight division race that’s something you have to look at closely.”
Machado’s contract expires at the end of the season, and the last-place Orioles decided against negotiating an expensive, multiyear extension because they have too many holes as the team moves into a rebuilding mode.