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Report: Diamondbacks have checked in on Machado

Mitch Stringer / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

The list of potential suitors for Manny Machado is quickly growing.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly checked in with the Baltimore Orioles about the availability of the All-Star infielder, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. It's not clear how far those talks may have advanced.

Arizona already has an All-Star third baseman on its roster in 26-year-old Jake Lamb, but Machado would be a perfect fit for Torey Lovullo's club at shortstop, having already stated he'd prefer to move back to his natural position next year.

The Diamondbacks have a surplus of middle infield depth that includes a group of incumbent shortstop options such as Nick Ahmed, Chris Owings, and Ketel Marte. Machado would be an upgrade over that entire group on both sides of the ball, as he managed to out-produce the D-Backs' shortstops by himself despite 2017 standing out as the worst season of his six-year career.

Player AVG/OBP/SLG HR wRC+ DRS WAR
D-Backs' SS .252/.303/.409 26 78 6 0.8
Manny Machado .259/.310/.471 33 102 6* 2.8

*Machado's DRS total is as a third baseman, as he did not play shortstop in 2017

Machado will be a free agent after the 2018 season and is expected to command a large contract on the open market, prompting Baltimore to consider moving him now. A report Wednesday suggested the Orioles were making "good progress" on a trade.

Related: 5 teams that should jump into the Machado sweepstakes

The Chicago White Sox are said to be the most aggressive suitors for Machado, while Olney reports the White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have given Baltimore the best offers to date. Other teams who have reportedly contacted the Orioles about Machado include a pair of AL East division rivals in the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

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