Kansas City Royals: The Manny Machado Effect

Manny Machado is seemingly the most sought after player going into the trade deadline. Unfortunately for the Kansas City Royals, it may affect trading away Mike Moustakas.

There have been many teams who have expressed interest for Manny Machado. The Kansas City Royals are not one of those teams, thankfully. They are sellers, not buyers, at the trade deadline. And with an already depleted farm system, it’s better off that they have kept themselves out of the running.

But what isn’t great about the Manny Machado sweepstakes is that it could affect the Kansas City Royals’ plan to trade away Mike Moustakas. It is likely that the Baltimore Orioles will continue to hold out for the best offer. And they’re asking a lot. Plus, with the Philadelphia Phillies having put in an offer the Orioles find desirable, it became more apparent that Moustakas will remain on the market until the Machado trade is completed.

Overlapping Interest

So far, the three teams that have reportedly shown interest in Mike Moustakas are the St. Louis Cardinals, the New York Yankees, and the Philadelphia Phillies.

As of Saturday, July 7, there were seven teams interested in Manny Machado. And the Phillies just so happened to be on that list. At the time, it seemed as if the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers were the front runners. But, now that has changed.

Now, it seems that the Phillies have taken one of the top spots in the battle for Machado. Another team in the mix at the top is the Yankees. That makes two of the three teams also interested in Moustakas. Because of that, it’s likely Moustakas will not be able to be traded until after Machado has been claimed.

Where will Moustakas land?

There is no clear frontrunner. Moustakas would most likely have to shift to first base if he is traded to the Yankees or the Cardinals. Though the Cardinals could shift around their infield to put him at third. With the Phillies, he would probably be able to play third as well.

Next: Prospect to Watch, Reed Rohlman

We probably will not get a good idea of which team Mike Moustakas will end up on until after a clear favorite surfaces for Manny Machado. Unfortunately for the Kansas City Royals, that puts some of their trade plans on hold. But, the good news is that there is still time before the July 31st trade deadline.