Kim Klement – USA TODAY sports
When Manny Machado first injured his knee versus the Tampa Bay Rays in September, many MLB pundits figured that the Baltimore Orioles‘ third basemen would almost surely need extensive knee surgery for what looked to be a torn ACL. Thankfully Machado did not tear his ACL, yet he wasn’t lucky enough to avoid going under the knife.
Despite earlier reports that he would only need rest, the Orioles announced their third baseman would need reconstructive surgery to repair the torn medial patellar ligament in his left knee. This surgery will likely keep Machado out of action for 4-6 months, which means he should be ready for the Orioles’ 2014 season opener.
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Baltimore Orioles’ Manny Machado is Much More Than Defense Specialist
Now, Baltimore wasn’t able to make the MLB postseason this past season and the Orioles’ biggest weakness was spotty offensive play despite a few big-name bats in the middle of the lineup. With Machado’s severe knee injury you have to wonder if Baltimore will be prompted to make a run at a free agent this off-season to stash alongside Chris Davis and Adam Jones.
Baltimore has emerged as a possible landing spot for names like Stephen Drew and Shin-Soo Choo, who could both give this Orioles’ offense a major lift in 2014, so stay tuned to see if Machado’s injury will force Baltimore to make a move in free agency.
Devin O’Barr is the Content Commentator for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DevinOBarrRS, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
