MLB Rumors: Manny Machado Officially Pens Padres Deal
It has been a few days since it was announced that third baseman and shortstop Manny Machado had reached a financial agreement with the San Diego Padres. It seemed to have been confirmed by the fact that there was no more talk about other teams still knocking on Machado’s door, but there was no official announcement from either Machado or the Padres regarding a contract.
On Thursday night, that announcement officially came. According to MLB News, Machado and the Padres have officially put pen to paper and signed the $300 million, 10-year contract, the largest free agent deal in the history of the sport.
A news conference is set for Friday when Machado will officially be introduced as a fully-fledged member of the Padres team.
“It’s no secret, Manny Machado’s one of the best players in baseball,” said general manager A.J. Preller. “He’s a guy that handles both sides of the field. He’s an elite offensive player and an elite defender, so he’s obviously a guy that can help any club.”
That would explain the massive amounts of cash they were prepared to throw his way. The deal also includes an option for them to opt-out after five years, as well as a “partial no-trade clause.”
It's OFFICIAL! The #Padres have signed Manny Machado to a 10-year contract through the 2028 season. Welcome to San Diego, Manny! https://t.co/zr5ZnD82Sy pic.twitter.com/F8jImsTziD
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) February 21, 2019
“Manny Machado is a generational talent, and we’re ecstatic that he’s chosen to spend his prime years in a San Diego Padres uniform,” executive chairman Ron Fowler and general partner Peter Seidler said in a joint statement.
The signing of Machado will provide a much needed boost to the San Diego side, who have set their sights on bringing the World Series home.
MLB insider Jon Heyman has reported that Machado has agreed to return to his original position of third baseman, which is perfect for the side who expects Fernando Tatis Jr. to be playing shortstop.
As the ink dries on Machado’s deal, there is still plenty of speculation regarding fellow free agent Bryce Harper, whose offers are slowly dwindling down to just four teams still vying for him to join them. Despite having just doled out a fortune to secure Machado, it is rumored the Padres are still in the running for Harper as well.
Other teams who also reportedly have offers on the table for Harper are the San Francisco Giants, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Washington Nationals, according to a previous report by the Inquisitr. Harper isn’t quite showing his hand just yet, but has made it clear he wants a long-term contract that will put more than $300 million in his pocket over the next decade.
