Manny Machado Let The Baseball World Know That He Will Be Opting Out Of His Padres Contract After This Season

I'm not sure how big of a secret this was, but Manny Machado has let the world know that he'll be opting out of the last 5-years and $150 Million of his contract at the end of the 2023 season. It's a no-brainer for Machado to opt out and get paid. It's not a bad blood thing with the Padres. I'm sure they knew this would happen. But Machado is going to be a free agent at the end of this season and will likely have every team begging for his services at third base. 

Manny's gone from the bright eyed baby in Baltimore to a villain in his short time with the Dodgers to now the face of a franchise and leader of the Padres. We've seen him mature before our eyes and this dude deserves every penny he is going to get. He signed that massive 10-years, $300 million deal before the 2019 season and has been awesome for the Padres as they really have turned their whole franchise around.

Now they have to try and keep him to see if they can continue that upswing. 

It's a no-brainer that the Padres would like to keep him in San Diego but he has to test the market. Has to. And he's going to make so much money when he does. It's likely that he and Shohei Ohtani will be the two big name guys everyone will be after so it is going to be an AWESOME off-season next year as we watch two generational talents get courted. 

I do think that Manny stays in San Diego because it makes too much sense. He just built a house there, the team and city loves him, he's embraced the entire organization and the city as well. He is the Padres right now. 

There will be other teams bidding for his services. I'm sure the Yankees will think they have a chance. Who knows if the White Sox will try it again. I'm obviously pushing all chips to the center and praying that Manny will come home to Baltimore. The Dodgers may want his services again. And off course the new age Mets have already been mentioned as a fit. But again every competitive team is going to be banging down Manny's door to get a meeting with the future Hall Of Famer. 

Like he said, there is a lottttttt of money out there and he's going to get a lot of it. He's one of the best players we've ever seen and is going to set the offseason on fire next year when he secures another massive contract, get ready for the year of Machado courting…..and please come home to Baltimore (he's not).