Phillies rumors: Will Latin connection decide Manny Machado pursuit?

Could a Latin and family connection make the difference for the Phillies and other teams for where Manny Machado ultimately signs in free agency?

There has been much discussion about which factors will influence Manny Machado’s decision on which team he signs with. A new factor that the Phillies and other teams may have to pay attention is starting to emerge.

Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic (subscription required) wrote in his most recent column that while money will be the “driving force” in Machado’s decision, the White Sox deciding to add his brother-in-law, Yonder Alonso, certainly won’t hurt matters. It’s largely believed that the White Sox did indeed make this move to help persuade Machado to come to the south side of Chicago.

In addition, Rosenthal added that Chicago’s large group of Latin players and Mexican manager Rick Renteria could be an advantage for them. Machado, who was born in Florida, played for the Dominican team in the World Baseball Classic last year. While the White Sox seem to prefer Bryce Harper, these factors could still help them in their pursuit of Machado.

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Rosenthal pointed out the significant presence of Latin talent in Philadelphia’s organizations. The team has made great strides in their international scouting department, leading to numerous players in the majors and minor with Latin roots. Rosenthal also noted manager Gabe Kapler’s efforts to communicate with the Latin players on the roster.

While Rosenthal brings up a valid notion regarding Machado’s Latin connections to various teams, it will likely be a small factor in his ultimate decision-making. The ability to play shortstop, location and marketability are all various things brought up to figure out where Machado ultimately winds up.

Ultimately, as Rosenthal said, money will be the deciding factor for Machado this offseason. Philadelphia certainly has plenty of it, and they appear ready to use it.