Report: Orioles will not be able to afford Manny Machado long-term

It sounds as though Baltimore Orioles fans should enjoy Manny Machado while they have him.

According to FanRag Sports’s Jon Heyman, despite his lengthy slump, the expectation remains that Machado will prove too expensive for the Orioles to retain when he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season.

Heyman notes that the Orioles tried to lock down Machado long-term a few seasons back, but the offer — reportedly for less than $100 million — was rejected, and it’s not clear if they were ever close to getting him to sign.

We do know that there will be plenty of interest in Machado, and one big-market team has already been the subject of speculation. It’ll be too much for Baltimore to afford, that much is certain.