Does the Seager injury really push Machado closer to the exit?

The media's obsession over Manny Machado's future spiked yesterday with news that Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager would undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, anything you read is speculation.

But it still makes for good copy.

The Orioles might be more inclined to move him. The Dodgers might be willing to surrender prospects for a rental, though it mostly goes against their norm.

I'll repeat that executive vice president Dan Duquette didn't put a block on his phone. He won't suddenly be open to "listening on" Machado as if he held an early aversion to it. He's always going to listen. He did it at the Winter Meetings and after returning home.

There hasn't been a point where he plugged his ears and broke out into song to avoid hearing the trade proposals.

It may not qualify as actively shopping the player, but negotiations can happen at any moment. Where's the harm? But the Seager situation didn't suddenly light a fire under Duquette to deal his star player, who begins tonight's series in Anaheim with a .361/.448/.676 slash line, seven doubles, nine home runs and 22 RBIs in 28 games. He has more walks (17) than strikeouts (16).

The Orioles want young controllable starting pitching in return, the same demands that carried through the Winter Meetings. The Dodgers have Walker Buehler and Yadier Alvarez. They also have stud outfielder Alex Verdugo. But again, how much would the Dodgers surrender for a pending free agent, and a player who wants to stay at shortstop?

Seager will be back. Tommy John surgery isn't a death sentence.

Duquette stated again last week in an interview with MASNsports.com that Memorial Day is usually the "marker" for considering dramatic roster changes. Plenty of fans on social media have given up on the 2018 season. The Orioles haven't reached that point.

"Generally, you give a ballclub a couple of months and see what you have and then take a look at it and see where you want to go. But I think it's a little early for that, frankly," Duquette said.

"We'll probably give it a little bit more time. Usually, Memorial Day is the marker to evaluate a ballclub and see where you're at and see where you want to go. Other clubs have had the same time to evaluate their ballclub and see what they need. So I think that's probably a good marker."

There's a belief in the industry, and I noted it back in December, that the Orioles could get more for Machado closer to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. But they're going to listen if a team gets desperate and maybe hits the panic button in pursuit of an elite hitter.

They're just not going to be the aggressor as the calendar turns to May. And an injured two-time All-Star shortstop and former Rookie of the Year in the National League isn't going to push Duquette into action 28 games into the season.

* Former Orioles great Eddie Murray is among five players selected for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's "Hall of Game." The induction takes place during ceremonies at the Gem Theater on June 9 at 8 p.m.

Murray will be joined by Dick Allen, Kenny Lofton, James Timothy "Mudcat" Grant and James Rodney "J.R." Richard.

Established by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in 2014, the Hall of Game annually honors "former MLB greats who competed with the same passion, determination, skill and flair exhibited by the heroes of the Negro Leagues."