Manny Machado Will Add More Than Just a Booming Bat and a Gold Glove if He's Traded to a New Team
Machado is one of the players widely expected to be traded at this year's deadline
Ever since it became abundantly clear that the Baltimore Orioles were not going to be a good team this year, questions quickly began popping up regarding the availability of their star infielder Manny Machado.
With Machado only under contract with the Orioles for the rest of this year, he will soon be given the opportunity to pick and choose the franchise he wants to play for.
But that's for the end of the year.
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Of more immediate concern to the Orioles and to baseball fans, in general, is what will happen to Machado near the trading deadline.
Machado is a superstar in the Majors, and he's precisely the type of player who can turn a fringe contender into a legitimate threat or a contender into a title favorite.
For this season, in particular, Machado has flashed an even more potent bat, which will only serve to make him an even more sought-after player at the deadline.
Machado's been uneven with his defense at shortstop, but given time, the Gold Glove-winning third baseman should be able to handle the position well enough.
Any team would be fortunate to add Machado to their roster for the remainder of this season, and that's true for other reasons beyond just his capabilities as a ballplayer.
Over the course of his time in Baltimore, Machado has captivated crowds who traveled to Camden Yards to see him play, but his meaning to the city is not limited to what he's been able to accomplish on the baseball diamond.
Machado has also turned into a prominent figure inside Baltimore thanks to his charitable efforts.
Last year, in an article posted on MLB.com, Machado talked about his "BaseBOWL" event that has been designed for the purpose of providing assistance for the Baltimore City Foundation as well as the kids in the city who have taken an interest in baseball.
Machado added, "At the end of the day, it's about trying to help others with the things and experiences I never had as a kid."
Machado also noted that he ended up picking bowling for the event because it's something kids and their families can participate in and everyone can have fun.
Even though Machado's still quite young — he'll turn 26 on July 6 — he has already developed a desire to make an impact both on and off the field, and that bodes well for whichever fortunate community he may go to if he does get traded later this year.
Machado is also keen on seeing the program develop further, per a report from the Baltimore Sun.
Because Machado could be traded soon, it's still unclear in which ways the program will grow moving forward, but it seems safe to assume that he will not forget about what he's already started in Baltimore.
Baseball fans may know Machado best for the things that he's done during games, but for many young children in Baltimore, they know him as someone who's helping improve their lives.
More news about Manny Machado should be made available soon.
