Milwaukee Brewers Trade Rumor: Team Wants Manny Machado

MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee Brewers are at the top of the National League Central division and are looking at trying to pry Shortstop/Third Baseman Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles in what boils down to a high-cost, high-profile rental to shore up the team's offense.

Machado is a 26-year-old infielder who has been a four-time All-Star. He's in the final year of his contract with the Orioles, with his 2018 salary being $16 million. This year, Machado has struck 23 home runs, is batting .314 with a .385 on-base percentage, and is already valued at 2.4 wins above replacement according to Baseball Reference.com

The Brewers see the potential acquisition of Machado as an upgrade over their beleagured infield corps. Nominal starter Orlando Arcia, 23, has been a superb fielder, however his offensive woes have been so significant this year that he has been sent to AAA Colorado Springs twice - and is his current home as of July 11 - as he continues to try to get his offensive groove back. He was batting an anemic .197 in just over 200 at-bats before being sent down to the minors. Second base is hardly better at this point, as Milwaukee's revolving door at the position involved periodically benching Eric Sogard or Jonathan Villar in favor of super sub Hernan Perez - seemingly depending on the day.

In their place, the Brewers picked up journeymen Tyler Saladino and Brad Miller to shore up the infield in their absence. As of July 11, Saladino has been just as slick with the glove in Arcia's absence, and has been hitting a healthy .283 with a .345 on-base percentage in limited duty. Miller has not been as good as either in the field, yet is holding his own, hitting .265 with a .333 on-base average in limited duty.

To get Machado, the Orioles are asking for a raft of major league-ready talent from the Brewers. A likely scenario that is currently playing out as of July 11 is Baltimore asking for top pitching prospect Corbin Burnesin addition to other prospects.

Burnes, 23, made his major-league debut on Tuesday in Miami, earning a two-inning save without allowing a single baserunner in his major-league debut.

Burnes struggled in the thin air of AAA Colorado Springs, where he went 3-4 with a 5.15 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 78 2/3 innings.

Reports are that the Brewers don't want to give away such a high-end talent in exchange for 70-ish games of Machado. The Brewers are reportedly countering that offer by suggesting that outfielder Brett Phillips and starting pitcher Luis Ortiz could be the focus of any deal.

The deal makes sense for Milwaukee: Phillips, who has seen part-time duty over the last two seasons in the majors, has been stuck in AAA after the team acquired All-Star outfielders Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain. Ortiz - acquired in the Jonathan Lucroy trade (remember that one?) is in AA Biloxi and is considered a good-not-great prospect.

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