After an extended period of negotiations, one of the most sought-after free agents in baseball, Manny Machado, has officially inked a deal with the San Diego Padres. The agreement is valued at a staggering $300 million over a 10-year period, setting a new benchmark as the largest free agent contract ever seen in American sports and the second largest in baseball history. Notably, the contract includes a provision for Machado to opt-out after the completion of the fifth year, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
At 26 years old, Machado is set to join the Padres, a team that finished last season with a modest 66 wins, ranking among the bottom in the league.
Having been selected to the All-Star team on four occasions, Machado showcased impressive stats last season, boasting a batting average of .297 along with 37 home runs and 107 runs batted in (RBIs) while playing for the Orioles and the Dodgers.
With this monumental signing, San Diego’s payroll surpasses the $100 million mark, marking only the second instance in franchise history that they have reached this threshold.
