Last December, Manny Machado told the San Diego Padres that he was ready to start negotiating to find common ground for a contract extension.
Recall that the third baseman signed a 10-year contract (2019-2028), but he has an exit option in one year. He can, a year in advance, use his option … if it means that the Padres offer him a new long-term contract.
Because he’s one of the best players at his position and he’s one of the best in the league overall, we know he was planning on using him. And because market prices for autonomy have risen, we also suspected that it was in his interest to get out of his (excellent) 10-year contract valued at $300 million.
And that, he confirmed yesterday: he will use his exit option in a year.
But what we just learned is that the window he gave the Padres is now closed. In fact, two months ago, he said they had until February 16 (the start of camp) to get him to sign a new contract.
It didn’t happen, which means that in a year, barring some disaster, he’ll be a free agent…and he’ll be coveted.
What we learned is that the Padres would have offered to add $ 105 million to his existing contract. From 2029 to 2033, he would therefore have made $21 million per season after having touched his base $300 million ($30 million per year). This is significantly lower, going from $30M to $21M.
It would therefore have been 15 years and $405 million in total since 2019. That said, seeing the market, it is surely said that in 2029, a player who was MVP caliber will be worth more than $21 million per season.
For their part, the Padres are possibly thinking that because he will be 36 in 2029, it is a legitimate offer to keep him in town.
If we combine the two offers from next winter (when he can be free), that means that the Padres would have offered him the equivalent of 10 years at $ 255 million from 2024 to 2033. I think he will be able to sign, once again, at least $300 million.
Bob Nightengale even speaks of $400 million.
I’m amazed that the Padres, who get their money out for everyone, only made one offer to whoever is the leader of the group. Do they feel he’ll be worth less a year from now if he can’t repeat his exploits?
What that means is that officially, the file will become a distraction in San Diego throughout the season, as it will be in his last year of contract.
Will the Mets come back? Possibly, yes. After all, two months ago the club run by Buck Showalter, who loved Machado in Baltimore, was ready to put $315 million on a third baseman… #CarlosCorrea
I believe that given the right price, Machado will want to stay in California. But if he becomes a free agent, Machado will create a bidding war, which will cause the price to go up.
Could Machado be offered a golden bridge to return to the East (he’s from Florida) by the Mets if they feel that Shohei Ohtani wants to stay in the West? And if Machado leaves, could Ohtani land at Slam Diego?
It is therefore clear that the file will be talked about en masse. After all, with all due respect to Matt Chapman, Machado will be (by far) the best player at his position available.
Tie your toque.
- Jacob deGrom will soon be back on the pitch.
- Yusei Kikuchi wants to redeem himself.
- Giancarlo Stanton, an option on the left?
- Buck Showalter wants to win.
