SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8/CNS) - The San Diego Padres have agreed to terms with coveted free-agent infielder Manny Machado, according to multiple reports.
Machado has agreed to a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres, a source told USA TODAY Sports and the Associated Press. The contract also reportedly contains a player opt-out after the fifth year.
The deal has yet to be officially announced, but it would be the largest free agent contract in the history of baseball.
Alex Rodriguez's 10-year, $275 million deal with the Yankees previously held the top spot.
Machado, a 26-year-old four-time-All-Star third baseman and shortstop, spent the second half of last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after being traded from the Baltimore Orioles.
At the team's spring training complex in Peoria, Arizona, Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler tempered reports of the deal.
"We do not have a deal with any free agent player," Fowler said. "We are continuing discussions."
Machado hit 37 home runs, 35 doubles and a .905 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 2018 with the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also attracted the ire of baseball fans and fellow players for stepping on other players during the MLB playoffs and an interview with Rosenthal in which he said "I'm not the type of player that's going to be 'Johnny Hustle' ... that's not my cup of tea, that's not who I am."
Machado and Washington Nationals star outfielder Bryce Harper, 26, who is still a free agent, were the cream of this winter's free agent crop but saw their markets freeze up due to team's balking at their asking prices. The Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees were also believed to have been interested in Machado while Harper has drawn interest from the Padres, White Sox, Phillies, Nationals and San Francisco Giants.
As of this writing, the San Diego Padres have not confirmed the news on their website or any of their social media accounts.
Mark Feisand of MLB.com has more on the contract details:
This is a developing news story. Check back for updates.