Manny Machado Trade Rumors: Red Sox Among Teams to Contact Orioles

Baltimore Orioles star Manny Machado could be the biggest name dealt before the MLB non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, and the Boston Red Sox are among the teams interested, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Red Sox reportedly contacted the Orioles about a potential deal, although a trade might not happen because of Boston's weak farm system.    

"[Red Sox] president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski concluded the teams likely do not match up on a trade at this time," Rosenthal reported.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter listed the Red Sox with the No. 27 farm system following the MLB draft earlier this month, and it could be even worse with each of the team's top players unavailable.

Third baseman Michael Chavis was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, while pitcher Jay Groome underwent Tommy John surgery in May.

The system has also been gutted over the past few years in trades for Chris Sale, Eduardo Nunez, Addison Reed, Tyler Thornburg and more.

Still, the Red Sox are top contenders for the 2018 World Series, and adding a star like Machado could go a long way toward securing a title.

Machado entered the year with three All-Star selections and two seasons with finishes in the top 10 of American League MVP voting, but he has been even better in 2018. His .310 batting average and .945 OPS would be career highs, and he already has 18 home runs in 69 games.

Adding in the fact that he can play either shortstop or third base, he would be a huge upgrade for any team.

Machado, who turns 26 in July, is also in the final year of his contract, meaning the Orioles would likely want to trade him before letting him go for nothing. Still, the Red Sox will likely have to outbid a lot of teams in order to acquire the superstar.