Report: Cubs making Machado main trade deadline target

The Baltimore Orioles are expected to pursue trade partners for superstar infielder and impending free agent Manny Machado ahead of the July deadline. They won't have to look far for suitors, either, as the Chicago Cubs are making the slugging shortstop their main target, sources told Jon Heyman of FRS Baseball.

The Cubs were one of several teams to press the Orioles about Machado's availability during the offseason and were recently expected to begin conversations about possibly acquiring him this summer.

With Chicago currently sitting in fourth place in the NL Central logjam, albeit just two games out of first, Machado's presence could be seen as the final piece of the puzzle for a team fighting for a second World Series championship in three seasons.

Machado is riding high in what appears to be his final campaign in Baltimore. In 42 games, he's hitting .342/.422/.652 (190 OPS+) with an MLB-best 13 home runs and 38 RBIs. He's also drawing walks more often than ever before while striking out less. He's registered 2.3 wins above replacement, not far off his total of 2.5 from a year ago.

The Cubs would likely plant him at shortstop in place of Addison Russell, who hasn't been terrible in hitting .250/.336/.367 in 38 games, but over whom Machado would be an offensive upgrade.

There is no word yet on what exactly the Cubs would have to offer to pry Machado from the Orioles, and no deal is imminent, but they can be expected to make an aggressive push.