As per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the San Diego Padres have reportedly emerged as potential suitors for 26-year-old superstar free agent, Manny Machado.
“According to multiple sources aware of talks between the sides but not authorized to speak publicly,” Acee wrote. “The Padres are pursuing [Machado] with the intention of playing him at third base.”
Machado, through his age-25 season, has a career slash line of .282/.335/.487 with 175 home runs, 513 runs batted in, 211 doubles, a .349 weighted on-base average, 120 weighted runs created plus rating, 30.2 wins above replacement (as per FanGraphs), and a .301 batting average on balls in play.
Acee notes that the Friars “became players in the pursuit of Machado” after teams were reportedly low-balling the four-time All-Star. Besides the Chicago White Sox’ eight-year offer to Machado and reported interest from the Phillies, Machado’s market has been unusually soft this offseason.
Jon Heyman of FanCred Sports reported on Friday that “barring Machado falling into their lap […], the Yankees are just about done”. New York met with the Miami native earlier in the offseason but reportedly never made a formal offer.
Machado, who turns 27 on July 6, hit .297/.367/.538 with 37 homers, 107 RBI, 35 doubles, and set career-highs with his 146 OPS+ rating, .377 wOBA, and 141 wRC+ rating last season, split between the Baltimore Orioles and the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
With a solid base of young positional players in Manuel Margot, Franchy Cordero, and Hunter Renfroe, last season’s marquee free agent Eric Hosmer, and arguably the most talented minor-league system in the sport, an addition like Machado would certainly increase the Padres’ immediate chances of competing in the National League West.
