WASHINGTON _ After surging to first place in the National League West during the final week of the first half, the Los Angeles Dodgers stand on the verge of an acquisition which would increase their chances of returning to the World Series. As the All-Star Game played out on Tuesday night, the Dodgers were in talks to acquire star shortstop Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles, according to multiple people familiar with the situation.
The deal had not yet been finalized, and remained subject to the fickle nature of Baltimore's ownership group, which is notorious for nixing trades made by its baseball operations department, and the potential counteroffers from other interested teams.
One Dodgers prospect mentioned as a possible centerpiece of the return package is outfielder Yusniel Diaz. The Orioles were said to be reviewing the medical histories of the involved players on Tuesday. The trade could be completed as early as Wednesday _ if it goes through.
The intrigue overshadowed the game itself on Tuesday, with players in both clubhouses gabbing about Machado's impending departure from Baltimore. The Orioles were believed to be still in contact with Philadelphia and Milwaukee, although the Dodgers were positioned as the favorite.
Machado looked ready for the spotlight. He wore no shirt beneath his suit when he arrived at the ballpark. The outfit delighted Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp.
"Did you see what he wearing today on the red carpet?" Kemp said. "That's Hollywood, man."
Machado would improve the Dodgers on more than an aesthetic basis. He is one of the sport's most dangerous hitters. He entered the break with 24 home runs and a .963 on-base plus slugging percentage, backed up by a career-low strikeout rate and a career-high walk rate. He can become a free agent this winter.
"We've got a great locker room, and I think he would fit right in," All-Star pitcher Ross Stripling said. "And obviously you put that bat in the middle of our lineup, it makes things pretty special."
During the past few seasons, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi have shown a willingness to make a splash at the deadline. In 2016, they acquired Rich Hill and Josh Reddick from Oakland in exchange for a three-pitcher package that included Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas. A year later, the team bundled a pair of prospects around young hitter Willie Calhoun to get Yu Darvish from Texas.
The returns on those deals were mixed. Hill pitched well after repairing a blister on his pitching hand, and re-signed during the winter. Reddick was a bust, posting a .643 OPS during the regular season and finishing the postseason without an extra-base hit. Darvish imploded during the World Series, including a disastrous performance in Game 7.
Machado would not exactly fill a void in the team's roster. The Dodgers lost Corey Seager to season-ending elbow surgery in May, but Chris Taylor has been a useful replacement. The versatility of Taylor makes the trade more functional. Taylor could replace Max Muncy at second base. Cody Bellinger could enter the outfield rotation with Muncy handling first base.
The addition of Machado would crowd an already packed outfield. With Yasiel Puig on the disabled list, Roberts is still juggling playing time between Matt Kemp, Joc Pederson, Enrique Hernandez, Andrew Toles and Bellinger. The Dodgers may need to trade an outfielder before the July 31 deadline, which could end Puig's tenure in the organization.
The Dodgers invested $15.6 million as a bonus to sign Diaz, 21, out of Cuba in 2015. He has blossomed with double-A Tulsa this season, hitting .314 with a .905 OPS. He showcased himself with a pair of home runs in the Futures Game on Sunday.
Machado is the most prized asset on the trade market. He worked out with Kemp during the winter in Miami in the past. Kemp came away impressed with Machado's ability and work ethic. He called Machado "one of my favorite players to watch."
"If that's something that happened, I think L.A. would be excited about it," Kemp said. "And it would definitely help our team win more games."
His impending departure has been dissected on a daily basis. He caused a stir when he liked a picture on Instagram of himself wearing a New York Yankees jersey. Speculation abounded when Baltimore removed him from a game after a rain delay over the weekend. A sizable crowd of reporters engulfed Machado during Monday's media day.
Machado only looked weary when a similar crowd awaited him on Tuesday.
What had he heard from either the Orioles or his agent on Tuesday?
He would not say whether he expected to play another game for the Orioles.
"Whatever happens moving forward will happen," he said. "There will be a time and place for everything."
He also would not say whether he would be excited to join the Dodgers and play in a pennant race.
"Like I said before, and I'm going to continue to say, I'm not even worried about it. I'm not worried about what's going to happen later. I'm worried about today. That's the only way you can handle this stuff."
