Report: Red Sox do not have real interest in Manny Machado

The Boston Red Sox earlier this week were added to the growing list of teams that are supposedly interested in trading for All-Star shortstop Manny Machado, but they may simply be a pawn in a game of chess the Baltimore Orioles’ ownership group is trying to play.

According to Sean McAdam of Boston Sports Journal, the reports of Boston joining in on the Machado sweepstakes “came as news” to members of the Red Sox organization. While president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski did check in on Machado, the call he made was last month and led him to conclude the Red Sox cannot afford the price Baltimore wants teams to pay.

Further, McAdam was told by sources that the reports about the Red Sox expressing interest in Machado came directly from the Orioles, who are attempting to drive up the price on the New York Yankees. John and Louis Angelos, the sons of Orioles owner Peter Angelos, reportedly leaked a list of teams last week that are supposedly interested in Machado.

It makes sense that the O’s would want the Yankees to think the Red Sox are in on Machado, especially since the two teams are once again battling it out for the AL East crown. Baltimore wants a specific prospect from New York that the Yankees don’t want to give up, so perhaps the O’s think creating a fake bidding war will help nudge Brian Cashman in the right direction.