Chicago Cubs Rumors: Manny Machado discussion wisely ends
By Ryan Heckman
Some of the more recent Chicago Cubs rumors have mixed sentiments over whether or not they should acquire Manny Machado. Those have been put to rest.
For the last couple of months, the Chicago Cubs were one of the main teams connected to a potential trade for Baltimore Orioles star shortstop Manny Machado. The young slugger would bring an even scarier dimension to the Cubs offense, but it appears as though that idea is over with.
The Chicago #Cubs aren't getting Manny Machado - and they're not worried if the Milwaukee #Brewers do https://t.co/BzrgkBMZBa
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 10, 2018
Machado’s 2018 campaign has been rather impressive, as he is batting .314, which would go down as the highest of his career. He has ripped off 23 homers and batted in 63 runs. The impending free agent was once one of the top reported targets for the Cubs, but alas, Theo Epstein and company appear to be done with those talks.
Many fans salivated over the though of what Machado could do to this offense, which already boasts enough scoring power as it is. For me, I never saw the point in the Cubs going after a half-season rental like Machado.
There were reports of Machado considering an extension with the Cubs if he were to land in Chicago, but nothing was guaranteed. After this season, he could have chosen to spurn the Cubs for another team, leaving the North side club with nothing in the end. A likely package for Machado would have cost way too much for the Cubs, so it was a wise decision to pull out of these talks.
Related Story: 3 reasons to avoid Manny Machado at all costs
The Cubs are getting back Kris Bryant, which should help power the offense even more. But, where the problem lies for these Cubs is in their pitching. We all know how inconsistent every starter has been this year, outside of 2018 All Star Jon Lester. Machado would have done nothing to assist in the Cubs’ true problem.
As the Cubs prepare for the All Star Break, they are 52-37 and just a game and a half behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL Central lead. The Cubs have won 9-of-11 games at this very moment and appear to be getting hot offensively going into the second half of the season. Now, it’s on the pitching to ensure the Cubs are indeed a World Series contender in 2018.