"Batting third for the Yankees, third baseman Manny Machado!" That line won't be uttered in 2019. It likely won't be uttered in 2020 or 2021 either. If Machado's tenure with the San Diego Padres is as fruitful as both sides likely hope after a record contract, it likely won't happen at all. Get tickets to see the 2019 Yankees: StubHub and Ticketmaster. Buy Yankees gear: Fanatics.com, Dick's Sporting Goods, Champs Sports. But here's why Machado eventually playing for the team so many assumed he'd land with still could happen down the line. Yes, I'm talking about the idea of Machado becoming the Yankees' next Alex Rodriguez or Giancarlo Stanton--superstars acquired through a trade in the midst of a long-term contract. San Diego can't afford this and compete Much like the Texas Rangers in the early-2000s or Miami Marlins last year, the Padres will inevitably realize the inevitable: Paying two players (Eric Hosmer and Machado) a combined $51M per year through 2023 won't work for a team that's carried a payroll over $100M just once in its history. The only way this works? Almost everyone of the Padres slew of top prospects has to hit to give the team a stable of cheap labor around the two highly-paid veterans. The odds of that happening are slim. Eventually, Machado will want to win San Diego will gradually improve, but doesn't have the resources to pay other veterans (namely established arms in the rotation and bullpen) what it will take to build a consistent winner around Machado's salary. Much like Rodriguez in Texas, the combination of October-less baseball and the player's desire to compete will eventually lead to San Diego shopping Machado. Yankees swoop in at a discount Rodriguez had seven years and $179M left on his deal when the Yankees and Rangers started talking about a blockbuster trade in 2004. By the time the deal was complete, Texas picked up $67M of the tab. The Yankees acquired the best player the American League on a seven-year, $112M deal. Two MVPs, one World Series title and seven excellent seasons later, it was a bargain. Last year, the Marlins kicked in $30M of the $295 owed to Stanton. The Yankees essentially traded for 10 years and $265M of Stanton's deal--a far cry from the $325 he originally signed for. Throughout the Machado process, the Yankees seemingly balked at a long-term deal and wanted to go nowhere near the $300M price tag. But by the end of the 2021 season, it's not crazy to imagine the Yankees trading for the final seven years and $180M (assuming the Padres pick up $30-or-so-million) of Machado's deal. Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.<doc-sep>Jae Hong/Associated Press After all that, Manny Machado will be paid handsomely to live in a beautiful city and play for a team that isn't far off from being a National League powerhouse. As ESPN's Jeff Passan first reported, Machado has agreed to a deal with the San Diego Padres. Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, it's for 10 years and $300 million. It also has an opt-out after the fifth year, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports. It's not a done deal yet. This is straight from Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler, per Dennis Lin of The Athletic: This doesn't mean there won't be a deal, however. With the terms in place, it should become official as soon as the fine print is ironed out and Machado passes a physical. In the meantime, there's plenty about this contract worth celebrating. For Machado, it's simple: The 26-year-old is the owner of the largest free-agent contract in Major League Baseball history. Giancarlo Stanton's 13-year, $325 million extension is still the largest contract, period, but Machado's deal tops Alex Rodriguez's 10-year, $275 million deal from 2007 as the most lucrative found on the open market. Machado's fellow players must be feeling relief. Some of MLB's biggest names—including Mike Trout, Justin Verlander, Adam Wainwright and Evan Longoria—have publicly taken issue with teams' growing indifference toward free agency. Machado's megadeal doesn't mean everything's fixed, but it should quell some of the unrest. Bryce Harper's inevitable megadeal will quell it further. Video Play Button Videos you might like As large as Machado's contract is, it's no overpay. Initial projections for his free-agent pact tended to be around $300 million. The folks at MLB Trade Rumors even went as high as $390 million. Machado's youth was one element of these equations. The other, of course, was the reality that he's an exceptional player. Jae C. Hong/Associated Press He was generally regarded as a top-10 prospect going into the 2012 season, and he was still only 20 years old when he debuted with the Baltimore Orioles on August 9 of that year. He was a difference-maker in their postseason push right away, and he was an All-Star and Gold Glover at third base the next season. Left knee surgery in October 2013 and right knee surgery in August 2014 temporarily sidetracked his rise. But he's been healthy enough since then to average 159 games per season. Per Baseball Reference, he's also been good enough to rank fifth among infielders in wins above replacement: 1. Jose Altuve: 26.0 WAR 2. Nolan Arenado: 25.3 WAR 3. Paul Goldschmidt: 24.6 WAR 4. Francisco Lindor: 23.9 WAR 5. Manny Machado: 23.2 WAR Machado's bat has been the driving force behind his superstardom. He's averaged an .856 OPS and 36 home runs per year since 2015, with a peak of a .905 OPS and 37 homers last season. What's more, his offensive profile is evolving as well as he, the Padres or anyone could hope. Over time, his strikeout rate has decreased while his walk percentage and isolated power have increased: Defensively, the early returns on Machado's move back to his native shortstop in 2018 weren't great. But his metrics did improve after the Orioles traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 1, which raises the possibility that Machado's skills weren't the problem. In any case, his more likely long-term home is third base. He has two Gold Gloves and 84 career defensive runs saved to vouch for his ability to play the hot corner well enough to earn his keep. That brings us to a moment of obligatory handwringing over Machado's occasional tendency to make a fool of himself, which was especially visible last October. But any notion that this somehow bars him from being a winning player isn't supported by the evidence. He played in two postseasons with the Orioles, and his behavior didn't keep the Dodgers from going to the World Series last year. To ensure that they also win with Machado, the Padres only need to put a good supporting cast around him. With a 96-loss 2018 fresh in their wake, that probably won't happen right away. And the club's payroll will be top-heavy in coming seasons. Assuming (for now) that Machado gets paid $30 million per year, the Padres will have north of $70 million tied up in him, Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers through 2022. That's a lot of money for a franchise with a peak Opening Day payroll of $108.4 million. But now for the great, big bright side that is San Diego's No. 1 farm system. Andy Hayt/Getty Images Included within are Fernando Tatis Jr., who's the best shortstop prospect in baseball, and Luis Urias, who's arguably the best second base prospect. Both should line up alongside Machado at some point in 2019 and stay there for many years. Catcher Francisco Mejia, right-hander Chris Paddack and left-hander Logan Allen are also ready to make an impact on the 2019 Padres. The club also has a host of talented young outfielders—Franchy Cordero (24), Hunter Renfroe (27), Manuel Margot (24) and Franmil Reyes (23)—to choose from. In coming years, these guys (and more) will be cheap talent to counterbalance the expensive contracts. The Padres could certainly use a tried-and-true ace for a starting rotation that will lean young in coming years. As noted by JJ Cooper of Baseball America, their wealth of young talent could bring one in via the trade market: All told, where the Padres are now isn't the same as where they were between 2014 and 2015. During that period, general manager A.J. Preller tried to build a contender overnight by sacrificing both financial (the James Shields signing) and player (trades for Myers, Justin Upton, Matt Kemp and Craig Kimbrel) capital. Doing so proved to be reckless. This time, the Padres are following a formula laid down by the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros. Both clubs slowly but surely built unstoppable rosters fueled by both youthful and veteran talent, and each was rewarded with a World Series championship.<doc-sep>It has been a few days since it was announced that third baseman and shortstop Manny Machado had reached a financial agreement with the San Diego Padres. It seemed to have been confirmed by the fact that there was no more talk about other teams still knocking on Machado's door, but there was no official announcement from either Machado or the Padres regarding a contract. On Thursday night, that announcement officially came. According to MLB News, Machado and the Padres have officially put pen to paper and signed the $300 million, 10-year contract, the largest free agent deal in the history of the sport. A news conference is set for Friday when Machado will officially be introduced as a fully-fledged member of the Padres team. "It's no secret, Manny Machado's one of the best players in baseball," said general manager A.J. Preller. "He's a guy that handles both sides of the field. He's an elite offensive player and an elite defender, so he's obviously a guy that can help any club." That would explain the massive amounts of cash they were prepared to throw his way. The deal also includes an option for them to opt-out after five years, as well as a "partial no-trade clause." It's OFFICIAL! The #Padres have signed Manny Machado to a 10-year contract through the 2028 season. Welcome to San Diego, Manny! https://t.co/zr5ZnD82Sy pic.twitter.com/F8jImsTziD — San Diego Padres (@Padres) February 21, 2019 "Manny Machado is a generational talent, and we're ecstatic that he's chosen to spend his prime years in a San Diego Padres uniform," executive chairman Ron Fowler and general partner Peter Seidler said in a joint statement. The signing of Machado will provide a much needed boost to the San Diego side, who have set their sights on bringing the World Series home. MLB insider Jon Heyman has reported that Machado has agreed to return to his original position of third baseman, which is perfect for the side who expects Fernando Tatis Jr. to be playing shortstop. As the ink dries on Machado's deal, there is still plenty of speculation regarding fellow free agent Bryce Harper, whose offers are slowly dwindling down to just four teams still vying for him to join them. Despite having just doled out a fortune to secure Machado, it is rumored the Padres are still in the running for Harper as well. Other teams who also reportedly have offers on the table for Harper are the San Francisco Giants, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Washington Nationals, according to a previous report by the Inquisitr. Harper isn't quite showing his hand just yet, but has made it clear he wants a long-term contract that will put more than $300 million in his pocket over the next decade.<doc-sep>The Telegraph Two of the surprise packages of this clay-court season have been British – initially Dan Evans, who made a deep run in Monte Carlo, and more lately Cameron Norrie, who played his second final in three weeks on Sunday. Unfortunately, Norrie wasn’t able to land a maiden ATP title in Lyon. But then he was up against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been the dominant force of 2021 outside the slams, and now stands at No 1 in the table of most rankings points gained since January 1. Nevertheless, it had been a hugely creditable effort for Norrie to go this far, especially when you consider that he took out top seed Dominic Thiem on Thursday, and then trounced big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov in Saturday’s semi-final, losing only two games in the process. Norrie has come to clay late in his career, but it feels like this is developing into his favourite surface. He has one of the heaviest left-handed forehands in the game, loaded with top-spin, and uses it like a miniature version of Rafael Nadal. The result has been a tally of 14 wins and only four losses since he began his European clay-court swing in Barcelona. So while the French Open, which starts next Sunday, has traditionally been a graveyard of British hopes, there are reasons to hope that this year’s event could deliver some more positive results. Norrie’s previous final in Estoril had been a nervewracking affair which he eventually lost on a deciding-set tie-break to the more experienced Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Sunday was more straightforward for Tsitsipas, who needed only 69 minutes to hammer home a 6-3, 6-3 victory. It was Tsitsipas’ second title of the clay-court sequence, after he won Monte Carlo in mid-April, taking out Evans in the semi-final along the way. He has become a serious contender to upset the establishment – specifically Nadal and Novak Djokovic – at Roland Garros over the next few weeks. “I felt in good shape from the beginning of the tournament,” said Tsitsipas afterwards. “I am proud of today’s match, I knew it would be a difficult one against Cameron, who has been showing great tennis this week. He has been winning against good players and showing what the left hand can do on clay. “It was not an easy match today. I had to handle the nerves and I am proud of my performance and the way I stayed focused towards my goal.” On this year’s results, meanwhile, both Evans and Norrie stand among the world’s 20 most successful men. Evans is at No 16 and Norrie No 14. The next challenge for them both is to convert that ATP Tour form into a deep run at a major.<doc-sep>
Jae C. Hong/Associated Press The Manny Machado sweepstakes are finally over as the team made the star's 10-year contract official Thursday. Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported official details on the contract: Heyman also noted Machado has agreed to play third base, which keeps shortstop open for Padres top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr.. ESPN.com's Jeff Passan first reported Feb. 19 that San Diego and Machado agreed to "the biggest free-agent contract in the history of American sports." Machado's deal reportedly features an opt-out provision after the fifth year, per Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown. Chicago White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams said he believed his club was in the driver's seat for Machado following an extensive bidding war. "I'm wearing my shades so you can't see the shock in my eyes," Williams told reporters Tuesday, according to The Athletic's James Fegan. However, Williams noted the White Sox didn't offer compensation that touched the historic $300 million price tag. "That level wasn't feasible to us because we still have to project putting together a total winning roster and keeping the young players that will ultimately earn into greater dollars themselves," he added, per MLB.com's Scott Merkin. Video Play Button Videos you might like Citing sources, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported the White Sox offered Machado $250 million over eight years, but the deal could have soared "well north" of $300 million with incentives and vesting options. Machado arrived in L.A. prior to the 2018 trade deadline after spending the first six-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Baltimore Orioles. During his stay in Southern California, Machado took over for the injured Corey Seager at shortstop and hit .273/.338/.487 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI. By season's end, the 26-year-old piled up 37 homers and 107 RBI while hitting a career-high .297. Despite the big numbers, Machado was never considered likely to make Los Angeles his long-term home. The Dodgers already had Seager in the fold on an entry-level contract, and their payroll was the third-highest among all clubs last season at $199.6 million. Add a nine-figure salary to the ledger, and that number would have skyrocketed. As a result, the four-time All-Star pursued new opportunities and landed with the Padres on a deal that will make him a crucial component of their pennant chase in the coming years. And based on Machado's track record, he should have a positive effect upon arrival. Machado ranks 13th among all players with 168 home runs since 2013, and his 203 doubles are good for ninth over that stretch. Additionally, the two-time Gold Glove winner has proved to be one of Major League Baseball's rangiest hot corner patrolmen. Although he primarily played shortstop with the Dodgers, Machado has always been best suited as a third baseman because of his quick reflexes and huge arm. To that point, Machado ranks second among all third basemen with 77 defensive runs saved and is tops in ultimate zone rating with a mark of 45.7 since 2013. The Padres still have plenty of work to do, of course, but bagging Machado over other big-market competitors like the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies is a major coup for the up-and-coming NL West club. What's more, the Padres may soon have one of the most talented infields in all of baseball with Fernando Tatis Jr., currently listed as MLB.com's No. 2-ranked prospect, due for his major league debut in the near future. Machado will have to be patient as the Padres work their way into the pennant race over the next few years, but the payoff could be substantial if San Diego's rebuild goes according to plan. Stats courtesy of FanGraphs.com.