August 29th, 2018 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka When the Dodgers traded away five of their top prospects to acquire 26-year-old shortstop Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles during the 2018 All-Star break, they did so for his Gold Glove(s) and even more so for his powerful bat to take over for then (and still) struggling part-time shortstop Chris Taylor.
At the time, Taylor was – and still is – leading the National League with his then 109 strikeouts, which now sits at 152. And even though trading away the farm (as they say) is always a risky proposition, especially for a three-month rental, by all accounts, the trade for Machado appears to be the deal – and steal – of the century.
Since joining the team on July 18, all the Hialeah, Florida native, four-time All-Star, and two-time Gold Glove shortstop (and occasional third baseman) has done is post a slash-line of .272 / .349 / .469 for a very good OPS of .819. He has also slugged seven home runs (to go along with the 24 that he hit with the Orioles), six doubles (21), and one triple (1), while driving in 21 runs (65).
In direct contrast, during this same time frame Taylor has slashed .230 / .299 / .377 for a pedestrian OPS of .676, while slugging three home runs, nine doubles, zero triples, and driving in 13 runs. He has also struck out 43 times since the All-Star break, compared to Machado’s 35. (Machado has a total of 86 strikeouts on the season, 66 fewer than Taylor).
It’s seems that whenever the game is on the line or there are runners in scoring position, Chris Taylor always strikes out, as he did here on July 30 with the bases loaded in a game that the Dodgers ended up losing by a score of 5-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
In other words, the Dodgers clearly won the trade … for now.
As every Dodger fan knows, Machado becomes a free agent at the conclusion of this season and is expected to receive one of the largest free agent contracts in MLB history. And according to early reports, it will not be from the Dodgers.
Why, you ask?
Because 24-year-old two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager is expected to return from his Tommy John and hip surgeries in time for Opening Day 2019.
Seager is under team control through the 2021 season, after which he too becomes a free agent. And with the Dodgers always dangerously close to the annual competitive balance tax (CBT), threshold, and with the possibility that Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will opt out of his current 7-year / $215 million contract with $32 million and $33 million still on the table for 2019 and 2020 respectively, it is unlikely that Guggenheim Baseball Management Group (i.e. Dodgers ownership) will pay both Machado and Kershaw what figures to be record-setting free agent contracts (in terms of both money and years) to keep both. They may be willing to do so for one of these future Hall of Famers, but probably not both.
But back to Machado and the here and now.
During Tuesday night’s interleague game between the Dodgers and Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, Machado had what was arguably his best game in a Dodgers uniform, going 2-for-4 at the plate (both singles) and driving in four of the Dodgers eight runs in the eventual 8-4 Dodgers win.
“Can’t win ballgames by just hitting home runs,” Machado told reporters after the game. “We’re preaching about passing the baton to the next guy, just taking what the pitchers give us. Today, we did a good job with that, stick to the plan and we did our job.”
Machado helped turn a scoreless ballgame into a 2-0 game in the top of the third inning on Tuesday night with his one out, bases loaded, two RBI single off of Rangers right-hander Ariel Jurado. The Dodgers shortstop would drive in two more runs on the night, one on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and another on yet another single in the sixth inning. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
Machado’s four-RBI night on Tuesday gave him nine over his last three games. He slugged a three-run home run on Saturday and a two-run home run on Sunday, both against the NL West last place San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.
In his last three games, Machado has driven in nine runs, including two on this two-run home run into “Mannywood” at Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon against the Padres. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
With Tuesday night’s win, the Dodgers remain one game back of the Colorado Rockies, who also won on Tuesday over the Angels of Anaheim. However, the Arizona Diamondbacks lost to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, thus dropping them into a tie for first place with Colorado in a suddenly insanely tight NL West division race. Should the Dodgers win Wednesday’s game against the Rangers, and should the Dbacks lose their game to the Giants, both teams will trail the idle Rockies 0.5 games in the NL West.
After that? – Strap in and hang on!
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The Dodgers never stop amazing me. I would never believe they’d only be a game out of first place at this junction. Jansen worries me but I’ll keep my hopes up for him to turn it around.
“It is unlikely that Guggenheim Baseball Management Group (i.e. Dodgers ownership) will pay both Machado and Kershaw what figures to be record-setting free agent contracts (in terms of both money and years) to keep both. They may be willing to do so for one of these future Hall of Famers, but probably not both.”
Love Kershaw and would love to see him be a lifetime Dodger, but if it takes a record-setting free agent contract (in terms of both money and years), Goodbye!
Sign Machado, odds are his best years are ahead of him.
Finally someone else says that he’s been a great pitcher although a team shouldnt pay for what hes been. He has 2000+ innings most likely by seasons end and hes already starting to decline. In my opinion we take the comp pick let him we all and resign machado him and seager can switch off between short amd anougher position like second now, since we cant expect seager to play more than 100 games at short next year. Then in the future we can have one replace turner at third base.
I doubt that Kersh will opt-out. He’s had lengthy DL stays each of the last three years. His skills are clearly declining. I really don’t think anybody would sign him more than, or even as much as, the $65 mill. the Dodgers are paying him the next two years. Kersh is smart enough to realize that hisownself.
He’s a smart pitcher and we already seeing him making adjustments to cope with the new reality. He can be a very effective pitcher for some years, but not as dominant as he was.
Rockies aren’t playing today (Wednesday).
A 3:30 am oversight on my part. Fixed.
Regarding Manny: I’ve liked him ever since the WBC, when he gave that big hat tip to Adam Jones when he Jones robbed him of a HR.
Manny’s proven to be a classy player, but I’m really getting over that “show me the money” gesture every time he does something good.
This all has me dreaming of the best infield in Dodger history next year, even better than Garvey, Cey, Russell, Lopes. In my dream/reality, it will be: Turner, Seager, Machado, Bellinger. I mean, come on! That’s not fair to the rest of the league!
I like the way you think (dream). It all boils down to money. Then again, doesn’t everything” lol!
Thanks for checking in, Greg.
Having attended many of those dream team games this 2019 group can truly surpass the Garvey, et.al. group!
“Can’t win ballgames by just hitting home runs,” Machado told reporters after the game. “We’re preaching about passing the baton to the next guy, just taking what the pitchers give us. Today, we did a good job with that, stick to the plan and we did our job.”
best thing I’ve heard all year!