Manny: 'I'm honored to put on this uniform for the rest of my career'
AJ Cassavell
@AJCassavellPEORIA, Ariz. -- Manny Machado. The Padres. A major press conference at the Peoria Sports Complex.
Haven't we done this before?
Indeed, for the second time in just over four years, the Padres and Machado have a megadeal in place. Another press conference at Padres camp on Tuesday formalized the news.
"This has been a long journey," Machado said. "We're here. We signed a contract four years ago. We had long conversations, and it was great. [The Padres] have gone above and beyond for this organization, for this city, made a lot of promises that have come true."
Early on Tuesday morning, Machado and the Padres finalized an 11-year deal that will keep the star third baseman in San Diego through the 2023 season. Worth $350 million, according to a source, it's the fourth-most lucrative contract in baseball history.
"Padres fans everywhere -- we heard from you," Padres chairman Peter Seidler said. "And I've heard from you since it became official. It is a big thing for us to know that we're going to be able to show up at Petco Park and see this man -- this superstar -- play for us for the next 11 years, and maybe beyond."
In 2019, Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million contract with the Padres, a deal that featured an opt-out after the '23 campaign. When Machado informed the club of his intent to exercise that opt-out, the two sides instead came together on the new agreement, which features no opt-outs and full no-trade protection.
¡°In my mind,¡± Machado said, ¡°I was always going to be a Padre.¡±
So here we are -- Machado at the center of another press conference in Peoria.
The similarities to 2019 mostly end there.
At that press conference from a bygone era, Machado pulled on a blue-and-white Padres cap. He decamped for a clubhouse filled mostly with prospects and fringe players, on a team that would win 70 games.
These Padres are ... different. Start with the brown and gold. (And end there, too. It's nearly impossible to walk a block anywhere in San Diego without those Padres colors popping -- the end result of a complete overhaul that, in some ways, began with Machado.)
Since Machado's 2019 arrival, the Padres' existence has changed. Machado was the first superstar on a roster that¡¯s now filled with them. Xander Bogaerts is on board alongside Machado, having inked his own 11-year deal in the offseason. Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish have also received extensions within the past year. Fernando Tatis Jr. is under contract through 2034. And Juan Soto and Josh Hader arrived in San Diego last year at the Trade Deadline.
A number of those fellow superstars were on hand for Machado¡¯s press conference Tuesday, prompting Seidler to quip whether there were enough players to field a team for the game that was to take place shortly thereafter, across the valley in Scottsdale. Machado made sure to thank those teammates, clearly touched by their support and the sheer number that had turned up for the spectacle.
¡°It¡¯s awesome to see the faces, the teammates now,¡± Machado said. ¡°We¡¯ve got a whole city behind us. Just -- a lot has changed over the years. A lot of promises have been made, and they¡¯ve come true.¡±
General manager A.J. Preller joked that the most noticeable difference was in the Peoria Sports Complex parking lot.
¡°You¡¯ve just got to look at the cars we have right now out there,¡± Preller said. ¡°Manny¡¯s been a huge part of it. We talked about it when we signed him in 2019 -- a 26-year-old superstar player that plays both sides of the ball and is in amongst the top in the game. Ultimately, I think that signaled a change for us overall as an organization.¡±
Four years later, the Padres have distinct World Series ambitions. Machado was always going to be at the center of them in 2023. He¡¯s now ensured he¡¯ll be at the center of them for another decade after that.
"For the fans of San Diego: We're going to be here for the long haul," Machado said. "My family and I are going to do a lot of great things for this organization, we're going to go above and beyond for it, and, hopefully, bring a championship to the city that's been craving it.
"I'm honored to put on this uniform for the rest of my career."