ANAHEIM -- Manny Machado was not happy to be discussing trade rumors. Not this winter, not May 1 and certainly not when they involve another player -- in Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager -- going down for the season.
"[Seager's injury was] the only news I got," Machado said when asked if his phone was buzzing on Monday with the Dodgers' vacancy at shortstop. "I was trying to enjoy my day off as much as I can."
Machado, who has had two season-ending knee injuries, expressed empathy for Seager as he's been in that position. And, prior to Tuesday's game in Anaheim, he also expressed a desire for Orioles ownership to not give up on the team just yet.
"Hopefully it doesn't come to [me being traded], we clean it up and start winning games," said Machado, who is considered one of the best available players in advance of this year's July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. "I'm positive that when we get our 25 guys in here that are healthy, we are going to surprise a lot of people. We had a bad April, but it's time to turn it around and hopefully make a push for this year.
"I would like to stay here. This is a team we've been together the last seven years. I want to win with this team. Come July, come August, come tomorrow, I can't control that destiny. I just got to go out there and do whatever I can today."
Machado, off to a red-hot start, leads the team and is among the American League leaders in home runs (9) and RBIs (22). He was named co-AL Player of the Week last month and understands -- given the Orioles 8-20 first month -- trade rumors will follow him all season.
"Obviously it is [a storyline], there is no getting around it," he said. "I don't want to get caught up in all that nonsense and things that I can't control. I want to keep playing, playing well and win some games on this road trip. Just do that little things that count."
Machado -- a free agent at the end of the season -- was the subject of a flurry of rumors this winter and said it did help prepare him for this year, though he wasn't constantly in front of a camera in the offseason.
"I've learned there's a lot of things you can't control. What Dan [Duquette] wants to do with the team or myself or Buck [Showalter]. I just come in here and try to play and do what I can to win games. If you don't win games, it means nothing up here."
Asked how he felt about Duquette saying he'd wait until Memorial Day before selling off pieces, Machado said, "Is that what they said? Everybody in here, we've sat down and we've talked. Everybody wants to win. We know we are way better than what's been happening, how we played the last month.
"I think everyone wants to keep playing together, we've been together for the last seven years, and we want to at least make one more push for it. … I'm confident in the team we have here. That we can do that."
Machado, expected to command a record contract on the free-agent market, reiterated a desire to test that market, though he didn't totally rule out working out an extension with his new team should he be dealt midseason.
"Everyone waits for the time when it comes to be a free agent. You want to explore your options," Machado said. "But things change … you don't know what will happen. I'll just play it by ear.
"At the end of the day we want to be treated fairly and get what we deserve."