The MLB Winter Meetings are coming to an end, but the rumors are still circulating. There is a lot of talk right now regarding Orioles' Manny Machado. The All-Star infielder is on an Orioles team that was mediocre last year and lacks pitching, so a rebuild may be in place in Baltimore. Machado (24) is a three-time All-Star with two Gold Glove awards in six years in the MLB. While he had a down year last year, he still hit 33 home runs with a 3.5 bWAR in 156 games. He is a career .279/.329/.805 hitter.

There are a number of teams that have apparently been giving the Baltimore Orioles trade proposals for Machado, including the White Sox.

A number of baseball reports say they aggressively went after him. The Yankees and Cardinals are two teams interested, as well, as they are looking to contend in 2018. There seem to be so many offers that a deal may actually happen according to reports.

White Sox

The team that seems to be talked about most in these rumors is, surprisingly, the Chicago White Sox.

The team is entering year two of a rebuild and currently holds the best farm in baseball. They have a group of prospects that include position players Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, and Eloy Jimenez. Most of the Sox prospects that come up in conversation are of a pitching kind, however, which include Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Carson Fulmer.

The situation for Machado, in context with the one the White Sox are in currently, makes these reports surprising. The Sox are in the middle of a rebuild and looking to develop prospects in 2018. Machado would likely cost prospects and is entering the last year of his contract. He will be a free agent after next season and will likely be seeking a better deal.

Ken Rosenthal pointed out two scenarios that could occur regarding the Sox and Machado. Either they would trade for him and either sign him to a big extension or trade him to New York or Boston for more prospects. Whether that would happen right off the bat or at the deadline would be up in the air. It would be risky if they want to trade for and try to extend him because he will likely want to test the market in 2019.

Sox GM Rick Hahn's latest words regarding the rumors are simply that the "Goal remains putting us in the best position for the long term," as quoted by the Chicago Tribune's, Mark Gonzales.

Others involved

While the White Sox have been one of the most discussed teams, there are other teams involved in rumors.

The Yankees are often talked about as they have the resources to make a trade even after getting Giancarlo Stanton. However, there are some red flags that come up. While GM Dan Duquette is looking for the best offers available, it is hard to see owner, Peter Angelos, wanting to trade their best asset in the division. Especially the Yankees. If he ends up on the Yankees, it would probably be a trade from another team (like one of the Sox scenarios) or 2019 in free agency.

The Cardinals are another team that appears in the interest mix. They just acquired Marcell Ozuna from the Marlins yesterday and continue to try to strengthen their team. Like the Sox and Yankees, the Cardinals have prospects to trade.

They are interested in a number of other players, including Josh Donaldson, and seem to be looking at different trade scenarios. Machado may want to move over to shortstop, and depending on how that deal winds up the Cardinals could do some moving around on the infield.

After the White Sox, Cardinals, and Yankees, the remaining interested teams do not seem to have as much traction. It could be temporary. The Phillies have apparently made an offer for Machado, despite still being in a rebuilding process. While they have prospects they do not have the farm system like the White Sox have. It would be surprising to see him go there, as well as the Giants.
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