Machado plans to opt out
Manny Machado says he plans to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract with the San Diego Padres after this season.
Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres in February 2019, a deal that gives him the right to terminate the agreement after this season and become a free agent. The third baseman, who turns 31 in July, would forfeit $150 million from his current deal, which calls for a $30 million annual salary through 2028.
“Obviously the team knows where I stand, my situation with the opt-out coming,” Machado told reporters Friday at the Padres’ spring-training camp in Peoria, Arizona. “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.”
Machado’s contract was a record for a free agent when he agreed to it and the second-largest in the major leagues behind Giancarlo Stanton’s $325 million. But he is now tied for the 11th-highest after an offseason topped by AL MVP Aaron Judge’s $360 million, nineyear contract to stay with the Yankees. The Angels’ Mike Trout leads the majors at $426.5 million.
“Markets change,” Machado said. “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.”
A six-time All-star, Machado is coming off a season in which he was second in the NL MVP voting. He batted .298 with 32 homers, 102 RBIS, a .366 on-base percentage and a .531 slugging percentage.
Mets: Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are back together for the first time in nearly a decade. The pair of three-time Cy Young Award winners threw off adjacent bullpen mounds. The 38-year-old Scherzer and Verlander, who turns 40 on Monday, were teammates on the Tigers from 2010-14.
Yankees: Lefty Nestor Cortes had a 24-pitch bullpen session after 10 days of not throwing due to a strained right hamstring. Cortes remains optimistic about being ready for opening day on March 30. “It went better than I expected, actually,” he said. “No issue as far as throwing and landing. As of right now there is no pain.” Cortes went 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 28 starts during an All-star season last year. “Nestor was really sharp,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I was really encouraged.” Reliever Michael King threw 25 pitches over two innings of a simulated game. He didn’t pitch after July 22 because of a fractured elbow that required surgery.
Braves: Right-hander Michael Soroka’s comeback from two Achilles surgeries is being slowed by tightness in his left hamstring. Manager Brian Snitker told reporters Soroka is being held back from throwing as a precaution.
Dodgers: Lefty Clayton Kershaw says he won’t be pitching for the U.S. at the World Baseball Classic. “Probably my last chance to get to do it, so I really wanted to do it, but it just didn’t work out for a number of reasons,” Kershaw said. “Disappointing, but that’s OK. I’ll be ready for the season.” The three-time Cy Young winner didn’t specify the reasons he won’t participate.
Rays: Tampa Bay withdrew its transactions of placing reliever Andrew Kittredge on the 60-day injured list and selecting the contract of right-hander Trevor Kelley to the 40-man roster.
Arbitration: Pittsburgh beat first baseman Ji-man Choi in salary arbitration while Seattle outfielder Teoscar Hernández and St. Louis pitcher Génesis Cabrera went to the last two hearings of the year.
Hall of Fame: Scott Rolen will have a St. Louis Cardinals cap on his Hall of Fame plaque and Fred Mcgriff will not have a team logo. Both will be inducted July 23.