What should have been a postseason opportunity to show off on a big stage has turned out to be quite the opposite for Manny Machado.
The Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop has been criticized for a lack of effort at times, despite the fact that he’s set to become a free agent after the season. While he’s still very likely to get a massive payday, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Saturday that the issues he’s created for himself could definitely have an impact on the number of suitors, and has raised concern among some teams.
There is a strong undertow of reaction from within the MLB community about Machado's effort in this postseason, and his comments about effort. He'll be paid plenty in the end, but his play has created a lot of questions. The volume of high-end bidders might be diminished.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 27, 2018
Machado pimped what turned out to be a single in Game 3, which may have cost him a base and was at the very least hugely embarrassing. It’s not the first issue with effort he’s had this postseason, and he’s openly admitted that he’s not a hustle guy. Add in the fact that he’s been accused of dirty play and he has some serious concerns heading into free agency that may scare some teams off and limit how expansive his market is.
