One of the two major problems in baseball's free agency was figured out on Tuesday afternoon, as Manny Machado finally found his team. After meeting with them twice, Machado agreed to a 10-year contract with the San Diego Padres. The contract is worth $300 million, but it does have an opt out clause after the fifth year. Machado played with the Baltimore Orioles to start his career, before getting traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, where he reached the World Series. The Dodgers would end up falling to the Boston Red Sox in the Fall Classic.
The four-time All-Star made $16 million last season, as he was expected to get traded before the season even began. His new deal with the Padres is pending a physical, but once it is made official, it will include a limited no-trade clause. The deal is expected to be announced as official by Thursday or Friday.
Padres owner Ron Fowler claims that the discussions are "continuing," but the two sides have met twice in Miami, Florida this off-season. General manager A.J. Preller also wouldn't comment on the deal, which has been reported by multiple sources.
The 26-year-old finished with a career-high .905 OPS last season, along with a .297 batting average, 37 home runs, 107 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. After getting traded to the Dodgers, he hit .273 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. Padres players were not afraid to speak on the addition through social media, including first baseman Eric Hosmer saying "you see me smiling right here."
This addition may be enough to lift the Padres to some success, as they have gone 12 consecutive seasons without a Postseason berth. They ranked 28th in the majors at 3.8 runs per game last season, but their new shortstop could change that. Machado has hit at least 30 home runs in each of the past four seasons, while only Wil Myers has surpassed that number for the Padres in that span. Myers was also the last Padres player to make the All-Star Game, doing so in 2016, while only six Padres player have hit more home runs than Machado did last season. Needless to say, this is a long-awaited offensive presence in the Padres' lackluster lineup.
The four-time All-Star made $16 million last season, as he was expected to get traded before the season even began. His new deal with the Padres is pending a physical, but once it is made official, it will include a limited no-trade clause. The deal is expected to be announced as official by Thursday or Friday.
Padres owner Ron Fowler claims that the discussions are "continuing," but the two sides have met twice in Miami, Florida this off-season. General manager A.J. Preller also wouldn't comment on the deal, which has been reported by multiple sources.
The 26-year-old finished with a career-high .905 OPS last season, along with a .297 batting average, 37 home runs, 107 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. After getting traded to the Dodgers, he hit .273 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. Padres players were not afraid to speak on the addition through social media, including first baseman Eric Hosmer saying "you see me smiling right here."
This addition may be enough to lift the Padres to some success, as they have gone 12 consecutive seasons without a Postseason berth. They ranked 28th in the majors at 3.8 runs per game last season, but their new shortstop could change that. Machado has hit at least 30 home runs in each of the past four seasons, while only Wil Myers has surpassed that number for the Padres in that span. Myers was also the last Padres player to make the All-Star Game, doing so in 2016, while only six Padres player have hit more home runs than Machado did last season. Needless to say, this is a long-awaited offensive presence in the Padres' lackluster lineup.
