All-Star third baseman Manny Machado won’t see out the 10-year, $300 million deal he signed with the San Diego Padres in 2019. Speaking with the media on Friday, Machado revealed that he intends to opt out of the contract and hit free agency after the 2023 MLB season.
“Obviously, the team knows where I stand, my situation with the opt-out coming,” Machado told the reporters. “I think I’ve expressed that I will be opting out after this year.”
When Machado inked his original contract, it was the second-largest in the entire league and the largest ever given to a free agent. However, the market changed drastically since, and his deal now wouldn’t qualify to even make the top 10.
“Markets change,” he added. “From when I signed five years ago. It’s changed tremendously.
While the opt-out means Machado will walk away from a guaranteed $150 million, the 30-year-old player hopes he will be able to land a much more lucrative contract in free agency. That is more than likely to happen, especially if he continues to play the way he did in 2022.
Machado finished the last season with a .298 batting average, 32 home runs, and 102 RBIs. He finished second in NL MVP voting while also receiving an All-Star nod and being selected to All-MLB First Team.
