Manny Machado named Most Valuable Oriole

Third baseman Manny Machado, who figures to be in the running for numerous postseason honors, has been chosen as Most Valuable Oriole by members of the local media who cover the team on a regular basis.

We won't quibble over "regular basis." At least not this year, since I believe they got it right.

Machado enters tonight's game against the Diamondbacks with a 300/.350/.546 slash line, including 39 doubles, one triple, 36 home runs, 93 RBIs and 103 runs scored. He's already set career highs in home runs and RBIs.

Machado has eight game-winning RBIs and has hit five game-winning home runs. He's tied for sixth in the majors with 76 extra-base hits and tied for ninth with 39 doubles.

In the American League, Machado ranks fifth in hits (181), tied for eighth in home runs, tied for ninth in multi-hit games (52) and 11th in batting average. He was named the American League Player of the Month for April after batting .344 (33-for-96) with 10 doubles, seven home runs, 16 RBIs and 20 runs scored over 23 games. He built a career-long 16-game hitting streak from April 4-23, the first Oriole to hit safely in the club's first 16 games of a season.

Machado was elected as the starting American League third baseman in the 2016 All-Star Game, his third career selection (2013 and 2015).

Machado has registered four games with five or more RBIs, matching the single-season club record held by Miguel Tejada and Jim Gentile. On Aug. 7 in Chicago, he became the second player in major league history to homer in each of the first three innings of a game

Machado hit his 100th career home run on Aug. 30 vs. Toronto, becoming the youngest Oriole to reach the milestone at age 24.055, surpassing Eddie Murray at 24.177 in 1980. Entering tonight's game, he's hit 25 homers as a third baseman and 11 as a shortstop, the second player in major league history to homer at least 20 times as a third baseman and 10 times as a shortstop in the same season.

Other Orioles receiving votes included Zach Britton, Mark Trumbo, Chris Davis, Adam Jones, Chris Tillman and Brad Brach. The media was instructed to select three players, with ballots submitted by Sept. 6, and I chose Machado, Britton and Trumbo.

The Orioles didn't reveal the second- and third-place finishers.

Machado will receive his award during an on-field ceremony before Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.