Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
Free-agent infielder Manny Machado is reportedly expected to sign with a team “within a week,” according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score in Chicago.
Levine noted that the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are the three teams known to be pursuing Machado.
While the White Sox, Yankees and Phillies have reportedly submitted offers, Levine added that there may be an unidentified fourth team in on Machado as well.
It is unclear who is the front-runner for Machado, but Levine reported that “momentum is building” in favor of the White Sox.
The team traded for first baseman Yonder Alonso, who is Machado’s brother-in-law. They also signed outfielder Jon Jay, who is one of Machado’s closest friends while growing up in Miami.
Machado has spent extensive time at shortstop and third base throughout his MLB career, but he will likely play short if the Yankees sign him since Didi Gregorius is expected to miss much of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
New York signed veteran shortstop Troy Tulowitzki this offseason, but since it is a veterans’ minimum deal, it doesn’t necessarily preclude the Yanks from signing Machado.
As for the Phillies, Levine believes they will have to offer Machado more than his other suitors in order to land him.
The White Sox reportedly offered Machado around $200 million over six or seven years, which may be the baseline the Yankees and Phillies will be forced to contend with.
Machado, 26, had a career year in 2018 split between the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers.
He was named an All-Star for the fourth time and finished with a .297 batting average, 37 home runs and 107 RBI, all of which were career highs. Machado also helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series, where they lost to the Boston Red Sox.
For the rebuilding White Sox (62-100 last season), Machado would be the face of the franchise and a sign that the timeline to contend is being moved up significantly.
The Yankees don’t necessarily need Machado, but he would add another big bat to their already-potent lineup and potentially close the gap with AL East rival Red Sox, the defending World Series champions.
Philadelphia has had a strong offseason already in adding shortstop Jean Segura and outfielder Andrew McCutchen, and Machado would be the lineup centerpiece it needs.
Due to the reported overlap in interest when it comes to the teams pursuing Machado and outfielder Bryce Harper, Machado signing within a week could go a long way toward determining where Harper ends up as well.
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