The end of June marks the unofficial start to Major League Baseball’s trade season, as contenders look to put forth their most talented roster for the stretch run.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, after a dreadful start that spanned the first six weeks of the season, find themselves on the periphery of a playoff berth and are almost certain to pursue upgrades by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
The rest of the National League West, with the exception of the last-place San Diego Padres, also figure to bolster their rosters over the next month. A mere 6.5 games separate the top four teams in the division, which could lead to plenty of action in the coming weeks.
The NL-West leading Arizona Diamondbacks, in particular, are expected to be among the most aggressive teams. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Diamondbacks see an opening to make a splash and may be in the lead to acquire Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado:
There is an expectation among other teams that the Diamondbacks will be among the most aggressive in the trade market, because 2018 presents perhaps their best opportunity for foreseeable future to win the NL West. They could be the Machado frontrunners.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) June 24, 2018
The Diamondbacks enter play on Monday with a slim 2.5-game advantage over the second-place Dodgers in the NL West.
With the division in its current state of mediocrity, the thinking is that Arizona could push all their chips forward with a blockbuster acquisition, and distance themselves from the rest of the pack.
That has led to speculation that the Diamondbacks could be a player for Machado, given their lack of production on the left side of the infield. The Orioles star would offer a significant upgrade over the likes of incumbent shortstop Nick Ahmed and third baseman Jake Lamb — both of whom are in the midst of down years.
Moreover, Arizona could look to further fortify their starting rotation with another frontline caliber arm to complement the likes of Patrick Corbin and Zack Greinke.
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