PHILADELPHIA — In what’s likely to be the final stop of his pre-trade deadline tour of all the cities - including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago - where his services are sought, Orioles shortstop Manny Machado on Wednesday addressed the possibility that he could be a member of the Philadelphia Phillies before long, be it in a trade this month or in free agency this fall.

Well-versed in how to talk around his future, Machado’s one illuminating remark about what will come next for him — other than that he has no idea at this point whether the 24-60 Orioles will even trade him — was his preference for a destination both this summer and going forward.

Said Machado: “Do I want to play for a contending team? Yeah. Do I want to go to the playoffs? Yeah. Do I want to win a ring? Of course I do. Those are all things every baseball player wants, so for me to go somewhere and help out a team, I don’t know if it’ll be here or it’ll be somewhere else, but I’m going to do everything in my power to help the team out.”

Four weeks ahead of baseball’s July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline, Machado’s future is one of the game’s hottest topics. He’s helped boost his stock by hitting .311 with 21 home runs and 39 extra-base hits this year, evidence that the constant speculation about his future isn’t getting to him.

Machado said the only reason he knows it’s July is because his 26th birthday is on Friday.

“We just go out there and play,” he said. “It’s Groundhog Day for us every day. We don’t even think about it like that. Just go out there and play every day. Every day is a new day. Every day is the same day. You’ve got to just be ready to play.”

He said that approach is helped by letting his agent deal with contract talk, and trying to enjoy his time with the only major league team and teammates he’s ever known.

On questions specific to a possible future in Philadelphia, Machado dropped a few hints. He was complimentary of the team from his limited view in two games this season.

“They’re a good ballclub,” Machado said. “They’re young. They’re hungry. They want to win. They’ve been impressive. They’ve got a good ballclub over there. But I can’t tell you more about it because they’re on the other side, and we don’t see them that much.”

He said he expects the front office, led by president and former Orioles executive Andy MacPhail, to be aggressive in taking the Phillies forward.