The Padres have shocked the baseball world for the second year in a row by acquiring one of the free agent market’s marquee names.

The team Tuesday solved its need for a third baseman and electrified its roster and its fans by agreeing to terms on a record-setting contract with Manny Machado, one of the biggest superstars in the game.

“It’s exciting for the organization,” said first baseman Eric Hosmer, last spring’s big signing. “We’re at a point in time now where everybody knows we want to win and we’re serious about it. It’s not just talking. It’s not trying to sell you guys on something. It’s actions, and it’s going out and doing something. It’s motivating as players when you see the front office doing stuff to give you the right pieces to succeed and be successful.”

Although Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler said Tuesday morning, “We do not have a deal with any free agent,” several sources who did not want to be identified confirmed the agreement, which is worth a guaranteed $300 million over 10 years and gives Machado the ability to opt out after five years.


While also declining to acknowledge the deal, Padres General Partner Peter Seidler said, “Ron and I love the city of San Diego. … We’re also well aware of the history. There’s never been a championship. We want to completely change that. We want our franchise to win year after year after year. And we’re going to do whatever we can rationally to change that.”

Toward that end, they gave Machado the largest free-agent contract in the history of American sports, though that very well could be a short-lived designation, as right fielder Bryce Harper is expected to sign somewhere in the coming days.

The Padres had also been wooing Harper. A high-ranking team source said Tuesday, “We’re not signing him.”


People inside the organization had expressed confidence in recent days that the deal with Machado would get done shortly. But according to multiple sources Tuesday, the Padres’ insistence there is not an agreement is based on Machado needing to meet with Fowler and Seidler for the first time and pass the requisite physical.

The Padres, along with other teams that believed they were in on Machado, expressed shock word of an agreement became public when it did.

General Manager A.J. Preller, Seidler and Fowler met with Machado’s agent, Dan Lozano, again Monday night. The Padres expected more dialogue with Machado’s side before a physical was even scheduled. Still, even as they said it was possible the deal might never come to fruition, several sources indicated they expect the Machado signing will become official soon.

Machado will meet with Preller, Fowler and Seidler on Wednesday in San Diego. After that, a physical is expected to be scheduled, and the belief is the deal will be officially announced by Friday.


While reiterating the team was not confirming the agreement, Erik Greupner, Padres president of business operations, said “response today to the Machado reports has been huge. The phones at Petco Park have been ringing all day and the ticket sales have been very strong. There is a high level of excitement right now from our fan base.”

Word of the agreement came just after players had gone on the field to stretch in advance of the first full-squad workout of spring training. Some players heard about the deal during the practice session, and others were told by reporters or the club’s public relations officials afterward. The PR staff stressed to players that the reported deal was not official.

“As of right now, we couldn’t be any more excited,” catcher Austin Hedges said.


While the pursuit of Machado seemed to drag on with just drips of news from week to week, the landing of the four-time All-Star actually came to pass in a relative flash.

The courtship started later than last offseason’s wooing of Hosmer that resulted in him agreeing to an eight-year, $144 million contract on the eve of spring training.

The Padres’ first contact with Machado’s representatives regarding the possibility of signing him came in mid-January after reports surfaced that the 26-year-old’s price might not be as prohibitive as expected.

The Padres soon found out any deal would need to be for much more than the reported $25 million a year that had sparked their surge in interest. Still, in need of a third baseman and with Machado being among the youngest and best free agents to ever reach the market, the team pressed on.


Preller flew to Miami the weekend before spring training to meet with Machado and his wife.

Team sources said it was Preller’s creativity and relentlessness that persuaded Fowler and Seidler the investment was wise at this point, when the front office had essentially settled into mostly staying the course and eyeing 2020 as the year they would make a jump into contention.

While sticking to the party line about not confirming an agreement, Preller said Tuesday, “Manny Machado is one of the best players in baseball. He’s been an elite offensive player and an elite defender. He’s obviously a guy who can help your club.”

Preller and his staff continue to mull scenarios in which the team would add a veteran starting pitcher, but team sources said Tuesday afternoon there are no immediate plans to do so.


There had been concern about Machado’s attitude and perceived lack of hustle, but the Padres expressed early on in the dealings that they had done their homework and felt comfortable with who Machado is. The club believes that not only does Machado’s talent allay concerns about his occasionally not running hard, they are confident veterans in their clubhouse such as Hosmer — a fellow South Floridian who was one of Machado’s main supporters — and Ian Kinsler will set a tone for everyone else.

Tuesday morning, just before the agreement became public, Hosmer said the way baseball is played in their hometown explains a lot about the edge with which Machado plays — including an incident in the National League Championship Series in which Machado appeared to kick the leg of Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar while running out a ground ball.

“I’ve been getting to see it ever since he was about 15 or 16 in Miami,” Hosmer said later. “… He’s a great guy. I know last year there (were) some controversial things. But he’s a guy who has edge. Us guys from South Florida, we bring some edge. We want to be better than everybody else out there, and we want to win more than anybody else out there.”

This is the third year in row the Padres handed a player the richest contract in team history, following Wil Myers (six years, $83 million) in 2017 and Hosmer in ’18.


Machado, who turns 27 on July 6, is an extremely rare superstar player to reach free agency this young. That contributed heavily to making the expense worth it to the Padres, whose payroll was just $85 million without him.

He will not only be their highest-paid player, but Machado will make more in 2018 than the combined salary of every other Padres player except Hosmer, Myers and pitcher Garrett Richards. Those four players account for about 60 percent of the team’s current 2019 payroll commitment to active players.

This acquisition changes the Padres like none has in decades, perhaps since the team traded for pitcher Kevin Brown before the 1998 season.

Machado is one of four major leaguers to have a WAR (wins above replacement) of at least 5.9 in three of the past four seasons, and his 142 home runs over the past four years rank seventh. His career WAR of 33.8 is higher than many Hall of Famers through their age-25 season, including Joe Dimaggio, Stan Musial and Willie Mays.


The last Padres position player to have a WAR of at least 5.9 was Chase Headley (6.4) in 2012, and just two other Padres position players have achieved that threshold since 2000.

Machado would have led the Padres in every offensive category except slugging percentage last season. Playing for the Orioles and Dodgers, to whom he was traded in July, Machado had a .297 batting average, .367 on-base percentage and slugged .538 in 2018. His career numbers in 926 games are .282/.335/.487 with 175 home runs.

“It lengthens the lineup for us,” Myers said. “It makes everyone that’s around around us better. … It is exciting to know it’s a strong possibility we’ll add somebody like that.”

kevin.acee@sduniontribune.com


UPDATES:

At 2:30, 4 and 4:55 p.m.: This article was updated with additional quotes and information.