By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
It's only May 27, but it appears that trade rumor season – or at least trade dialogue season – is upon us.
According to MASN's Roch Kubatko, the Phillies may have only played one game during their recent trip to Baltimore, but the door was left open by general manager Matt Klentak to discuss SS/3B Manny Machado with Dan Duquette and the Orioles closer to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline:
According to industry sources, the Phillies left open the possibility of engaging in talks while they were in Baltimore earlier this month, and the Cubs contacted Duquette to express interest with an eye toward the non-waiver deadline. It’s only May 26. There’s nothing hot despite the Orioles’ last-place positioning in the American League East.
Kubatko did note that a Machado trade isn't imminent, nor are the Orioles "actively shopping" him. Just over two months away from the trade deadline that's not shocking to hear. It's also not shocking to hear that two National League contenders have already had some level of dialogue with the Orioles about Machado, who is widely expected to leave in free-agency after the season.
While Machado hasn't been as sure-handed in his move back to shortstop as he was at third base, he's currently on-pace to have a career-year offensively. Entering Sunday, the 25-year-old is slashing .327/.399/.619 with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs. The soon-to-be four-time All-Star has already posted a 2.6 fWAR, higher than the disappointing 2.5 fWAR that he posted the entire 2017 season.
The Phillies, like the Cubs and many other contenders, should check in on Machado. Whether they ever come close to landing his services this summer is another story.
The Athletic's Jayson Stark joined Mike Missanelli on 97.5 The Fanatic last Wednesday, and broke down reasons why he doesn't believe the Phillies will trade for Machado this summer:
"I would say that their [the Orioles] initial ask would be somewhere along the lines of Sixto Sanchez, J.P. Crawford and like Seranthony Dominguez. Or [another offer could be] Scott Kingery, Edubray Ramos and Sixto Sanchez. And here's the issue with it – if you trade for him you have to know he's a rental. You're not signing him. I can tell you for a fact – he's not opening any windows, he's not signing any extensions in the middle of this season. And so, you're not gaining any advantage – I don't think – in terms of trying to sign him next winter than what you would have anyway. It [his decision] is going to be about all kinds of stuff, but it's mostly going to be about money."
Kubatko reported during the Winter Meetings last December – when the Phillies were among the teams that had talks with the Orioles about Machado – that the Orioles "coveted" Sanchez, the Phillies No. 1 prospect. The 19-year-old has drawn credible comparisons to Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, so the entire sport covets him. Even in the case that Machado was willing to work out a long-term extension with the Phillies as part of a trade – every indication is that he wouldn't do that – it would be hard to imagine the Phillies parting with their top prospect.
Kingery, who Kubatko also noted that the Orioles were high on last December, is in the midst of a disappointing rookie campaign. Still, as part of the extension that he signed prior to the season, the Phillies can control him through 2026, should they choose to. Cesar Hernandez may be blocking Kingery from playing his natural position of second base currently, but there's little reason to think that the Phillies still don't view him as a core piece moving forward.
It won't stop the Phillies from contacting the Orioles this summer, but unless Machado and his agents at MVP Sports Group are willing to change their stance on negotiating a long-term contract, it seems hard to imagine the Phillies meeting the Orioles asking price for a rental.
