LDN - Sports

Major League Baseball notebook: Dodgers acquire Machado from Orioles

[July 19, 2018] The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired star shortstop Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday in exchange for five prospects.

In the deal, the Orioles receive top outfield prospect Yusniel Diaz, as well as minor league right-handers Dean Kremer and Zach Pop and infielders Rylan Bannon and Breyvic Valera.

The agreement between the two sides, reported as essentially finalized Tuesday night, reportedly hit a snag Wednesday afternoon over the medicals of one of the Dodgers prospects involved. The player at question was not Diaz, the centerpiece of the deal, according to a report from Fancred.

Machado, 26, is batting .315 with 24 homers, 65 RBIs and a .963 OPS in the final year of his contract before becoming a free agent. A four-time All-Star, he's projected to fetch a long-term deal approaching $300 million on the open market this winter.

--A day after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred suggested two-time MVP Mike Trout should be more active in marketing himself, the Los Angeles Angles issued a lengthy statement in support of their seven-time All-Star.

The statement called Trout an "exceptional ambassador for the game" and praised his character as a role model and charitable contributor off the field. "We applaud him for prioritizing personal values over commercial self-promotion," the Angels' statement concludes. "That is rare in today's society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent."

Manfred was asked at his annual All-Star break press conference on Tuesday about whether the league should work harder to market Trout, whose resume and on-field accomplishments far outpace his fame. "Player marketing requires one thing, for sure: the player," Manfred said.

--Milwaukee Brewers general manager David Stearns and Major League Baseball issued statements regarding relief pitcher Josh Hader, who came under a firestorm of criticism after controversial years-old tweets surfaced during Tuesday night's All-Star Game.

"We have been in contact with Josh and he is fully aware of the severity of the situation related to his social media comments, regardless of the timeline of his posts," Stearns' statement read. "His comments are inexcusable, and he is taking full responsibility for the consequences of his actions. In no way do these sentiments reflect the views of the Brewers organization or our community."

MLB announced that Hader would be subject to sensitivity training. Hader apologized when speaking to reporters Tuesday night about the tweets, which included racist and anti-gay comments.

--The Tampa Bay Rays placed catcher Wilson Ramos on the 10-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain that kept him out of Tuesday's All-Star Game.

[to top of second column]

American League infielder Manny Machado of the Baltimore Orioles (13) before the 2018 MLB All Star Game at Nationals Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Ramos suffered the injury Saturday and was placed on the DL retroactive to Sunday. However, the Tampa Bay Times reports the injury will likely sideline Ramos through the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Ramos, who turns 31 next month, is hitting .297 with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs in 78 games this season.

--Toronto Blue Jays top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will return to Double-A New Hampshire on Thursday after rehab assignments with the team's Rookie League and high Class-A affiliates.

Guerrero suffered a strained patellar tendon in his left knee in early June. He was hitting .407 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs at the time for New Hampshire.

The 19-year-old third baseman is the son of Vladimir Guerrero, who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame later this month.

--New York Mets star Yoenis Cespedes played first base for the first time in his professional career during a rehab game with the team's Rookie League affiliate.

Cespedes, who had only played in the outfield during his MLB career, went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in playing all nine innings of the contest at first base for the GCL Mets. He could return to the Mets as soon as this weekend, though he's expected to come back as an outfielder.

Cespedes, out since May 13 with a strained right hip flexor and a chronic heel injury, had been taking groundballs at first base while rehabbing in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The 32-year-old told the team he's willing to move to the position, assistant general manager John Ricco told the New York Post last week.

-- The Chicago White Sox optioned outfielder Charlie Tilson to Class-AAA Charlotte. Tilson, 25, batted .264 (28-for-106) with 11 RBIs and seven runs scored in 41 games with the White Sox after being recalled from Charlotte on May 24.

--Field Level Media

Back to top