Oct 7, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets in the fifth inning during game one of the Wild Card series for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training and there’s already some juicy storylines to emerge just a week in. Star third baseman Manny Machado has said he plans to opt out of his contract with the San Diego Padres after the 2023 season.

Speaking at the Padres’ spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona on Friday, Machado opened up to reporters about his plans for the short-term future, but also made it clear he would be open to signing an extension with the Padres too.

“Obviously, the team knows where I stand, my situation with the opt-out coming,” Machado said. “I think I’ve expressed I’ll be opting out after this year, but I think my focus is not 2024. I think my focus is about 2023, what I can do to this ballclub, what I’ve done for this organization and what we’re going to continue to do here. I think we’ve got something special here growing and I don’t think anything’s going to change.”

The six-time All-Star also noted that “there’s a lot of money out there” for free agents and that “as a player about to opt out, it’s pretty good to see.”

Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres in February 2019, but the player has the option to terminate that agreement after the 2023 season. Should he opt to do that in order to test the free agency market, he would forfeit $150 million from his current deal.

Machado currently carries an annual salary of $30 million through the 2028 season.

Padres general manager A.J. Preller, who has been ultra aggressive in assembling a core of insane talent in San Diego, told ESPN’s Buster Olney that he wants to open talks about an extension with Machado’s camp this spring.

This situation is one worth keeping an eye on for the Mets.

SNY’s Andy Martino has previously reported that the Mets would have interest in Machado. Should he become available, he would be a perfect fit at third base and that would then allow the organization to slide prospect Brett Baty over to a corner outfield spot.

Given that they ultimately missed out on Carlos Correa, who ended up eventually re-signing with the Minnesota Twins following a staggering offseason saga, the Mets may be more motivated to go all out for a player of Machado’s talent levels should he become available.

There is a lot to like about Machado too. Not only is he a big name with a lot of star power, but he’s also coming off a hugely impressive season. The righty bat finished second in NL MVP voting and helped the Padres go 89-73 on their way to reaching the NL Championship Series. It is also worth noting that Machado picked up a lot of the slack and took on a leadership role in the wake of Fernando Tatis Jr. being suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Machado hit .298/.366/.531/.898 with 32 homers, 102 RBIs, and a 159 OPS+ to go along with a 6.8 WAR in 2022. The 30-year-old is also a premium defender with two Gold Gloves and a Platinum Glove to his name. He’s a player that can make a sizeable impact in every aspect of the game and he seems suited to thrive in a big market.

“Markets change,” Machado added. “From when I signed five years ago, it’s changed tremendously. Things change and evolve. As a player who’s about to opt out, it’s pretty good to see.”

Machado isn’t the only white whale the Mets will be keeping a very close eye on throughout the 2023 season and beyond. Superstar talent Shohei Ohtani will be one of the biggest storylines to follow all year as he approaches free agency in 2024. The two-way star was non-committal when asked about his future with the Angels earlier this week, but he would be the No. 1 target for the Mets and he could become the first $500 million player in baseball.

It is shaping up to be an incredibly fun baseball season in 2023 and, for Mets fans, spring training is just the start when it comes to the team being linked with some of the biggest upcoming free agents in the game like Machado and Ohtani. With owner Steve Cohen at the helm, no significant free agent should be considered off limits.