The Arizona Diamondbacks' window to win the National League West division and contend for a World Series title may be a small one -- and that's why at least one insider believes the team may do all it can to win it all this year.
ESPN's Buster Olney reported Sunday that other teams expect the D-backs to be "among the most aggressive" in the trade market in the next month, "because 2018 presents perhaps their best opportunity for (the) foreseeable future to win the NL West."
Olney also said the D-backs could be the frontrunners for the services of Baltimore Orioles slugger Manny Machado. That report is backed by MLB Network's Jon Morosi, who reported Tuesday that the D-backs and Orioles have been in discussions for a possible Machado trade.
Coming off a 2017 postseason appearance, the D-backs are already among the best teams in the National League, but a minor league system devoid of top-tier prospects may have the team looking at some down years in the near future.
There is an expectation among other teams that the Diamondbacks will be among the most aggressive in the trade market, because 2018 presents perhaps their best opportunity for foreseeable future to win the NL West. They could be the Machado frontrunners.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) June 24, 2018
Machado was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft and has spent his entire MLB career with the Orioles. He is a career .282 hitter and has hit over 30 home runs in each of his last three MLB seasons, including a career-high 37 in 2016. He is a three-time All-Star Game selection and a two-time Gold Glove winner, and he has twice finished in the top-five in American League MVP voting.
Machado is in the final year of his contract with the Orioles and is set to make $16 million this season.
The D-backs completed a four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday to improve to 44-33 this season and 16-6 in June. They have a 2 1/2-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West.
On June 6, the D-backs acquired outfielder Jon Jay from the Kansas City Royals. Jay has a .333 batting average through 15 games (71 at-bats) with the D-backs.
The D-backs will have some decisions to make in their starting pitching rotation soon, as Shelby Miller is set to return this week after undergoing Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss over a full year of action. Left-hander and 2017 All-Star Game selection Robbie Ray is also likely to return from injury soon.
The D-backs are also waiting for the return of outfielder A.J. Pollock, who hit .293 with 11 home runs in his first 40 games of the season but has missed the last five weeks of the season with a fractured thumb. Outfielder Steven Souza, who hit 30 home runs with the Rays last season, was acquired by the D-backs in a trade before the season began, but he has most of the season due to injury.
The 2018 MLB trade deadline is July 31.
