Manny Machado, one of the most sought-after free agents in baseball, is still in talks with the San Diego Padres despite his plans to opt out of his current deal, according to a report from MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
The Padres and Machado have been in negotiations since the end of the 2019 season, when the star third baseman opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Machado had agreed to a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres in February, but the two sides have yet to finalize the deal.
The 26-year-old Machado is one of the most talented and sought-after players in baseball. He has been an All-Star in four of his seven seasons, and is a career .282 hitter with 210 home runs and 611 RBIs. He also won two Gold Glove awards in 2018 and 2019 for his defensive prowess.
Machado’s contract with the Padres is expected to be the largest ever given to a free agent, surpassing the 10-year, $325 million deal Bryce Harper received from the Philadelphia Phillies last offseason.
The Padres are hoping to lock up their star third baseman soon, and it appears they are still in talks with Machado despite his plans to opt out. It remains to be seen if the two sides can reach an agreement, but it is clear that the Padres are still interested in keeping Machado in San Diego.
