When Manny Machado and the Baltimore Orioles visited Citizens Bank Park in early July, “We want Manny!” chants were heard as the Phillies were in the midst of their most successful summer in seven years. Those chants weren’t lost on Machado. And while the Phillies lost the battle to acquire the four-time All-Star before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, the war was always about signing him after the 2018 season concluded.
The Phillies will get their chance to pitch Machado, very likely his wife Yainee and his agent Dan Lozano on Thursday, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia:
Machado will be in town Thursday for a recruiting visit with Phillies officials, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.