Manny Machado Trade Rumors: Cubs Expected to Enter Talks with Orioles

If the Baltimore Orioles decide to trade Manny Machado, the Chicago Cubs will reportedly have interest in acquiring the three-time All-Star.

Per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs "expect to talk" with the Orioles about Machado in the near future. 

Wittenmyer did note "a lot of dominoes would need to fall in the right directions" to pull off a trade for Machado but that Cubs ownership appears to be supportive of the front office's aggressive attempt to upgrade the roster. 

In December, MASN's Roch Kubatko reported the Cubs made an offer to the Orioles for Machado that included Addison Russell, Albert Almora Jr. and Mike Montgomery. 

Baltimore opted to keep Machado for the start of 2018, hoping to make one more run at the playoffs before he becomes a free agent after this season.

The Orioles' 8-26 record entering play Tuesday is the worst in the American League. However, Machado has been one of the few bright spots in Baltimore with a .346/.430/.623 slash line with nine home runs and 27 RBI through 34 games. 

The Cubs could be in the market for an upgrade at shortstop. After posting a career-high .738 OPS in an All-Star 2016 campaign, Russell has a .241/.307/.399 slash line with 12 homers in 141 games since the start of 2017.