The radio chatter for weeks has been that the Cubs should trade Addison Russell to the Orioles for Manny Machado. It was poised as a simple no brainer deal, especially considering Machado wants to play shortstop.
But is it?
Machado is deemed to be a top 10 player in baseball. In 2018, he is hitting .310, 21 HR, 59 RBI, 5 SB and 1.7 WAR. However, he has a negative 1.5 dWAR.
Swapping Russell for a rental Machado may have made some sense when the Cubs could not score runs, but after scoring more than 40 in 4 games, is Machado really needed?
In 2018, Russell is hitting .286, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 3 SB and 2.4 WAR.
Yes, Russell has a higher WAR value than Machado. Russell's WAr breaks down 1.4 oWAR and 1.4 dWAR.
Russell has three more years of control while you would have Machado for three months tops.
Russell has lost his luster because of nagging injuries and lack of flash that Baez provides on defense.
But the more the season progresses, the need is less on adding Machado than finding another reliable starting pitcher.
