Manny Machado Contract: Breaking down Padres superstar's 10-year deal

Manny Machado will remain with the San Diego Padres. The San Diego Padres had a whirlwind season in 2022, and in the absence of their young star, Fernando Tatis Jr., someone had to step up.

Tatis Jr., the 2022 NL home run champion, was suspended for 80 games by the MLB in August 2022 after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The news came as Tatis Jr. was set to return as the Padres seek their first full-season playoff appearance since 2006.

"All of Manny Machado’s 114 Padres Home Runs (just the swings)" - @ Danny

Manny Machado stepped up bigger than any other member of the San Diego Padres in 2022. He had the all-around best season of his career, hitting 32 home runs, 102 RBIs, and batting .298. Machado was by far the best player on the 2022 San Diego Padres.

Before the playoffs, Machado was also a huge contributor to the postseason success last year. The Padres snuck into the playoffs as a wild-card team. But it wasn't long before the team steamrolled both the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Machado had 4 home runs and 7 RBIs in 12 postseason games in 2022.

Although the San Diego Padres were eventually eliminated by the Philadelphia Phillies, Machado was named a finalist for the NL MVP. He came second, losing out to Paul Goldschmidt.

The success of Manny Machado is the result of a calculated gamble that the Padres took on him nearly four years ago. In February 2019, the Padres signed Machado to a 10-year deal worth $300 million, making it the largest contract in baseball at the time.

"NEWS: MVP runner up 3B Manny Machado ‘may opt out’ of his current contract after the 2023 season, per @ Jon Heyman" - @ Diamond Talk

The contract keeps Machado with the Padres until 2029. Machado has plenty of baseball left in him at the age of 30. If the Padres are to repeat their success from last season, he must maintain his current level of production.

Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres are the new kids in the NL West

With the addition of shortstop Xander Bogaerts, the Padres are beginning to look like quite the powerhouse. Their division was a 2-way contest between the Dodgers and Giants for a long time. Now, that finally appears to be changing, thanks to players like Machado.