Batting third in an Orioles lineup that was without some of its projected heart of the order Friday against the New York Yankees, third baseman Manny Machado gave ammunition to those who think he’s better suited to move down from the leadoff spot.
Machado had three hits in four at-bats, driving in four runs in the 11-2 win after spending a good amount of the spring batting in the first or second spot in the lineup, as he did often in 2015.
After the game, manager Buck Showalter reiterated his stance that Machado could hit anywhere and succeed — it’s just a matter of where the Orioles decide to deploy him.