SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 26: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres looks on after striking out during the fourth inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at PETCO Park on July 26, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
All you need to know about the situation surrounding Manny Machado and his future with the San Diego Padres.
It has been reported that Manny Machado intends to use the opt-out clause in his contract with the San Diego Padres after the conclusion of the current season. Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million contract with the Padres in February 2019, a contract that provides him the ability to terminate the agreement after this season and become a free agent. Machado’s deal with the Padres offers him the right to become a free agent.
This would mean that the third baseman, who will turn 31 in July, would have to walk away from his present deal, which calls for him to receive a salary of $30 million per year through the year 2028. During the spring training, Manny Machado talked about his situation with the team.
Machado said, “Obviously, the team knows where I stand, my situation with the opt-out coming, I think I’ve expressed that I will be opting out after this year, but I think my focus is not about 2024. I think my focus is about 2023, what I can do to this ballclub, what I’ve done for this organization and what we’re going to continue to do here. I think we’ve got something special here growing and I don’t think anything’s going to change.”
He added, “Markets change,’ From when I signed five years ago. It’s changed tremendously. Things change and evolve. As a player who’s about to opt out, it’s pretty good to see.” When Machado signed his deal, it set a new record for the most money paid to a free agent and was the second-largest contract in the major leagues overall, trailing only Giancarlo Stanton’s $325 million deal.
Nevertheless, following an offseason that was highlighted by AL MVP Aaron Judge signing a $360 million, nine-year contract to remain with the New York Yankees, he is now tied for 11th highest in terms of salary. Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels has the highest salary in the major leagues, coming in at $426.5 million.
Machado, a six-time All-Star, is coming off of a season in which he placed in second place in the voting for the National League MVP. He had a batting average of.298 along with 32 home runs, 102 runs batted in, an on-base percentage of.366, and a slugging percentage of.531. His presence enabled the Padres to achieve a record of 89-73 and advance all the way to the National League Championship Series when they were defeated by the Phillies.
The Padres have a number of talented players on their roster, including Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, Jake Cronenworth, and others, therefore they are a team that might perhaps win the World Series this year.
Machado is revered by fans all across San Diego, and he has the chance to win the World Series for them and become one of the greatest players in the franchise’s history if he does so.
In addition, he has a deep affection for the city of San Diego, and we can only hope that the Padres’ front office and Machado’s representatives will be able to come to an agreement on a contract for him, just like they did with Yu Darvish, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Joe Musgrove.
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