Wed Jul 16 00:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Diamondbacks’ Missed Machado Trade Led to Gallen, Shaped Future
**PHOENIX, AZ** – A missed opportunity at the 2018 MLB trade deadline continues to reverberate through the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, according to a recent report. The D-backs were reportedly in the running to acquire star third baseman Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles, but ultimately balked at the asking price, which included top prospect Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Diamondbacks General Manager Mike Hazen revealed to ESPN that Chisholm would have been the centerpiece of the deal. Instead, the Los Angeles Dodgers landed Machado, later losing to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
“We tried to get Manny Machado from the Orioles in 2018 and Jazz Chisholm would have been in that trade,” Hazen told ESPN. “We didn’t trade Jazz there but that got us Zac Gallen in 2019. We don’t get Gallen if we make that trade for Machado, so you never know.”
Arizona later traded Chisholm to the Miami Marlins for pitcher Zac Gallen, a move that has proven pivotal. Gallen became a cornerstone of the D-backs’ rotation, leading them during their 2023 pennant run.
At the time of the 2018 trade deadline, the Diamondbacks were in a tight race for the NL West lead and a Wild Card spot. Looking for a spark after an injury to Jake Lamb, they ultimately acquired Eduardo Escobar from the Minnesota Twins. Escobar proved to be a solid contributor, but Machado’s potential impact was significantly higher.
While Machado performed well with the Dodgers, the D-backs faltered down the stretch and missed the playoffs. It remains a matter of speculation whether acquiring Machado would have altered the team’s fate.
The Twins also benefited from that trade acquiring Jhoan Duran, who emerged as a dominant closer.
Looking back, the Diamondbacks appear to have ultimately benefited from missing out on Machado. Gallen’s emergence as a top-tier starting pitcher has been a key factor in the team’s success.
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