Borea, Arizona. — In the days since Mane Machado revealed his plan to opt out of his existing contract, the star third baseman has reiterated to the Padres that his sights are set squarely on 2023.
The same goes for parents. Tuesday saw the first official full-team practice, and owner Peter Seidler and general manager A.J. Briller met with reporters at the Peoria Sports Complex. Neither Seidler nor Briller have publicly disclosed potential negotiations that could keep Machado in San Diego beyond this season. But Seidler made this very clear:
“I’m really reluctant to talk about what-if scenarios, whether it’s with a free-agent player or our own. I will say: Mane is my top priority.”
A brief summary of where things stand between the Padres and Machado:
1. After the 2023 season, Machado can opt out of the remaining five years, $150 million on the 10-year deal he signed in 2019.
2. During the offseason, Machado informed the Padres that he intended to do so unless the parties reached an agreement on an extension or restructuring of that contract.
3. It is unclear if Machado is willing to negotiate during the season, with recent reports, including one from the San Diego Union-Tribune, stating that Machado has set a deadline to close the deal before camp begins.
The Padres appear to be open to talks during the season.
“Manny is always a priority for me and the organization,” Priller said. “Mane is an exceptional player. He’s a big part of what we’re doing here. We’ll just respect him in the process. We have a good relationship with their representatives and agents. Once again, we’ll always be open and clear in our communications. If you’re interested in talking further, we’ll continue to do so.”
Speaking on Monday, Machado expressed his commitment to the current season, saying, “Business is business, there are no hard feelings.”
“I told my agent, I told the organization, I’m going to go out and play baseball, do what I can control, which is go out and be the best player I can be. I’m going to try and take this team to another championship.” [Serie] And even further than that.
When Machado signed his initial 10-year contract with the Padres in February 2019, he was briefly the richest free agent contract in the history of North American professional sports. 280/.352/.504 and hit 108 home runs while hitting 17.6 bWAR in his four seasons with San Diego.
Machado recorded a pair of top-three NL MVP finishes, including a runner-up finish during a stellar 2022 campaign in which he helped lead the Padres to their first NL berth since 1998.
“Almost four years ago this time was a great day for the city of San Diego and for the organization,” Priller said. “Mane lived up to everything we could have hoped for when we signed him.”
The Padres will file a franchise record payroll in 2023 as they committed long-term dollars to Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts, Joe Musgrove, and Yu Darvish.
In addition to Machado’s potential free agency, another generation star, Juan Soto, is set to become a free agent after the 2024 campaign, ahead of his 26-year-old season. Priller noted a balancing act.
“It’s something we talk about all the time: short-term and long-term plan,” Briller said. “It’s not unlimited resources. It’s not an unlimited budget. You have to make decisions and choices.
“The good thing for us is that you talk about two of the best players in the game and how we keep both, hopefully, or how one affects the other… Those conversations will be part of the next 12 months and the next two years with Juan.”
In fact, there is a lot for you to discover in the next 12 to 24 months. But the Padres insist they are rooted for the next eight.
They added Bogaerts, Priller said, not as a potential long-term replacement for Machado at third base, but “to play Manny.” The arrival of the Bogaerts comes alongside the return of Tatis, giving San Diego perhaps the most star-studded lineup in baseball.
Machado is at the center of it all, the de facto captain in San Diego, aboard the franchise’s transformation from also being a World Series contender. The status of Machado’s long-term contract would naturally become a central story, at least until he signs an extension or strikes free agency.
“Ultimately, you have the right to opt out at the end of this year,” Briller said. “We’re ready for that. We’ve always seen it as a possibility. The good thing for everyone is that he played at a high level which makes it a realistic question.”
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