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The Chicago White Sox’s pursuit of free agent infielder Manny Machado appears to be heating up.
The White Sox have plenty of payroll flexibility as they chase after Machado and fellow free agent Bryce Harper.

USA Today reported that the White Sox offered Machado a contract upwards of $200 million.
Chicago has just $35.5 million currently committed to its payroll, according to spotrac.com. That leaves the White Sox with plenty of opportunity to also offer a contract to Harper.
The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees are the main competitors for the duo. Spotrac lists Philadelphia at $82.7 million before additions and the Yankees at $120.8 million.
So if the White Sox offered Machado and Harper $25 million apiece — and the pair accepted — that would leave Chicago in the neighborhood of $85 million in commitments.
That would still rank way below the upper tier in payroll commitments. The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are currently at $169 million and the Los Angeles Dodgers are at $163 million.
The leave average is currently at $90.907 million.
The White Sox are not believed to have made a formal offer to Harper.
Another interesting tidbit in the process is Chicago recently traded for first baseman Yonder Alonso, who is Machado’s brother-in-law.
–Field Level Media