One of the great things about being one of the richest teams in baseball is always being involved in free agency rumors in some way shape or form. That was demonstrated last week when the Dodgers were noted as the favorites to land Bryce Harper in his free agency. And here we are again, another big name and another big market team. Jon Heyman released the odds on Oriole’s third baseman Manny Machado. He is set to hit free agency at the end of the 2018 season. So what are the Dodgers’ chances?

Well, they are not as good as they are with Harper. Heyman has the Dodgers odds at 20-1 in signing Machado, making them the 7th most likely team to land the standout third baseman. The Dodgers rank behind the White Sox, Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Yankees, and Phillies. The Phillies have the best odds at 3 to 1.

the Manny Derby: the 13 "favorites" to sign manny machado, complete with odds. https://t.co/fOnzaKNv6J — Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 13, 2018

Does Los Angeles Need Him?

Another great thing about the Dodgers is that they don’t NEED anyone. Their depth at the minor league level has the team ready to compete for many years, so any added talent is a luxury at this point. So no, they do not need Machado. But Machado is a career 280 hitter who has averaged over 30 home runs a year and close to 100 runs batted in. Not to mention the fact that he would have an entire shelf of gold glove awards if not for the plethora of star third baseman in the American League.

So while they do not require him to compete, any team would be lucky to have Machado manning the left side of their infield. He is a perennial all-star and arguably a future hall of famer. Not to mention he is just 25 years old.

Where Would He Play?

Let’s say the Dodgers do cough up the millions Machado will demand, and sign him to a big deal. Where would he play on a team that is stacked with young infield talent? Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger will be around for a very long time, so consider their positions occupied for the foreseeable future. Justin Turner is expected to hold down third base at least through the 2020 season. Logan Forsythe is here now, but who knows for how long.

There are a few whacky theories out there, but the one that makes the most sense is moving Justin Turner. Perhaps to first base to give Bellinger some outfield time, or perhaps to second base. That would give Machado the chance to slide into the roster at third. It could also mean the end of Seager’s time as a very large shortstop, since Machado has expressed so much interest in playing short long-term. That would make sense, as0 baseball experts have profiled Seager as a future third baseman since he was drafted.

Analysis

While they do rank high in the odds, it does not seem likely that the Dodgers will be adding Machado. The new ownership has proven they are not too keen on handing out large, long-term contracts to free agents. Chances are they will be using that money on making Kershaw a Dodger for life,. That seems to be a priority for ownership at this point.

But still..imagine a lineup featuring Machado, Bellinger, Seager, and Turner. Absolutely terrifying.

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