Believe it or not, Manny Machado has officially been with the San Diego Padres longer than he was with the Baltimore Orioles.
Technically, that's been the case for a while now, as Machado has played over 250 more games with the Padres. But this season marked his eighth in San Diego, and he played seven-plus years in Baltimore. It feels like just yesterday the Orioles traded him to the Dodgers.
And while Machado’s 2027 team likely won’t be the Dodgers, there is mounting doubt about him suiting up for the Padres. FanSided's Pat Ragazzo suggested on Tuesday that the Padres’ new owners could dump one of Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., or Xander Bogaerts this coming offseason.
However, Ragazzo believes that if San Diego trades one of those three, Machado has the best chance of being dealt, largely because Tatis is the Padres’ best player and Bogaerts is clearly on the decline. He added that “plenty of teams” should believe the seven-time All-Star, who turned 34 in July, can still contribute moving forward.
Could the San Diego Padres realistically trade Manny Machado this offseason?
Any trade speculation involving a player like Machado begins with the financials. Starting next season, Machado’s base salary skyrockets to nearly $39.1 million for the next seven years. What were the Padres thinking when they gave him an 11-year, $350 million extension in February 2023? He was only months from turning 31, and we know that those contracts become dead weight by a player’s late 30s if not earlier.
Then, you get to Machado’s no-trade clause. We often joke that it keeps players from being shipped off to the Rockies or Angels, but it’s true! Imagine how Machado would feel if the Padres told him he was going from a World Series contender to an Angels team that hasn’t had a winning record since TikTok still referred to a Ke$ha song.
So any team that would potentially be open toward adding Machado — the Yankees, maybe? — would do so being well aware of the financial commitments and his no-trade clause. If the Yankees acquired Machado and, theoretically, they were a .500 team by 2029, they can’t ship him off without his permission. We must also note that the full no-trade clause is built into his extension and is not related to his 10-and-5 rights.
For those curious: Tatis is in the sixth season of a 14-year, $340 million contract, and he has a full no-trade clause through 2029. Interestingly, that turns into a 10-team no-trade clause in 2029, but he’d have 10-and-5 rights if he’s still with the Padres. Bogaerts, who turns 34 on Oct. 1, is owed $25.4 million every year through 2033, and he also has a full no-trade clause.
Unbelievable.
Which teams could trade for Manny Machado this coming offseason?
We won’t get too in depth about potential Machado suitors, but here are some teams who immediately jumped out to us:
New York, New York?
We mentioned the Yankees earlier, and he’d definitely be an upgrade over Ryan McMahon. But outside of Juan Soto, we really haven’t seen Brian Cashman go after star hitters in recent years. Maybe the Giancarlo Stanton trade, which has become an unfortunate disaster, scared him off.
Staying in New York, who knows what the Mets will do? But swapping Machado for Francisco Lindor doesn’t make sense financially for San Diego. Who else hears a three-team trade coming?
Twins or A's?
Although the Twins and Athletics intrigue us, we’re skeptical Machado would waive his no-trade clause for either team. Minnesota is rebuilding, and the A’s are yet to capitalize on the young core they’ve built.
An Orioles reunion?
Finally, what about a reunion with the Orioles? Machado’s apparent issues with ownership are long in the past, and Baltimore should consider being aggressive to keep up with the rest of the AL East.
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