Orioles Star Shortstop Machado Turns 24 Today
BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ) -- Orioles superstar shortstop Manny Machado turns 24 on Wednesday.
But what do you get a guy who's making $5 million this season and stands to rake in a whole lot more when that one-year deal expires?
Machado got an early birthday gift when fans selected him as the starting third baseman for the American League in next week's All-Star game, his third selection.
RELATED: Machado's 3-Run Homer Lifts Orioles Over Dodgers 4-1
But the baby-faced assassin might have given himself the best gift of all Tuesday night when he swatted a pitch from Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda over the left field fence at Dodger stadium. That towering three-run homer snapped Baltimore's five-game skid, paving the way for a 4-1 victory for the AL East-leading Orioles.
The 2013 Gold Glove winner is raking this season, batting .324 and is on pace to surpass 200 hits on the season. And they're not base knocks either; nearly half of his 105 hits are for extra bases, including 19 home runs. With numbers like that, it's not farfetched to expect him to challenge for the batting title or MVP honors -- or better yet, both.
