The Padres give free agent Manny Machado a record $300 million deal.
PEORIA, Ariz. — For the second year in a row, the Padres have shocked the baseball world with a late acquisition of one of the free agent market’s biggest prizes.
This time, the team solved its need for a third baseman by acquiring one of the biggest superstars in the game by agreeing to a contract with Manny Machado.
Although Ron Fowler, Padres executive chairman, said Tuesday morning “we do not have a deal with any free agent,” three sources who did not want to be identified confirmed the agreement, which multiple reports said was worth $300 million over 10 years, with the ability for Machado to opt out halfway through.
The deal is the largest freeagent contract in the history of American sports, though that very well could be short-lived, as Bryce Harper is expected to sign in the coming days.
People inside the organization expressed confidence in recent days that the deal would get done shortly. But according to multiple sources Tuesday, the Padres insistence there is not an agreement is based on more than Machado needing to pass a physical. The Padres, along with other teams that believed they were in on Machado, were evidently shocked word of an agreement became public so soon. The team expected more dialogue with Machado’s side before a physical was even scheduled.
Still, several sources said they expect the deal to become official soon.
The courtship started later than last offseason’s wooing of Eric Hosmer that resulted in the first baseman agreeing to an eight-year, $144 million contract on the eve of spring training.
General manager A.J. Preller flew to Miami the weekend before spring training to meet with Machado and his wife. Preller, Fowler and general partner Peter Seidler met with Machado’s agent, Dan Lozano, again on Monday night.
Team sources said it was Preller’s creativity and relentlessness that persuaded Fowler and Seidler that the investment was wise at this point, when the front office had essentially settled into mostly staying the course and eyeing 2020 as the year they would make a jump into contention. There had been concern abut Machado’s attitude and perceived lack of hustle, but the Padres expressed early on in the dealings that they had done their homework and felt comfortable with who Machado was.
One of Machado’s main supporters was Hosmer, who management sought out since both players are from South Florida.
Tuesday morning, Hosmer said the way baseball is played in their hometown explains a lot about the edge with which Machado plays — including an incident in the National League Championship Series in which Machado appeared to kick the leg of Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar while running out a ground ball.
Machado has also been criticized for a perceived lack of hustle. The Padres believe that not only does Machado’s talent allay concerns about his occasionally not running hard, they are confident veterans in their clubhouse such as Hosmer and Ian Kinsler will set a tone for everyone else.