Possible New York Mets Target Manny Machado to opt out After 2023 Season

Possible Mets target Manny Machado plans to opt out of his contract after the 2023 season.
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Manny Machado revealed that he is planning to opt out of his deal with the San Diego Padres after the 2023 season.

While Machado says he is open to signing an extension with the Padres, he added "there's a lot of money out there" referring to the contracts signed by star players this offseason.

"As a player about to opt out, it's pretty good to see," Machado said.

A.J. Preller, the Padres president of baseball operations, told Buster Olney of ESPN that he intends to talk with Machado's camp during the spring about an extension.

But should this extension not come to fruition, Machado would hit free agency and the 30-year-old would fit with the Mets at third base. This would push top prospect Brett Baty to left field.

If Machado signs an extension with the Padres, the Mets would lose out on a significant free agent option.

Beyond Machado, the Mets are likely to pursue superstar Shohei Ohtani next winter if he becomes a free agent.

Earlier this week, Ohtani said "as of now I'm an Angel and that's all I want to focus on," in response to a question about whether he wanted to return to the Angels.

Ohtani also revealed that he hasn't had deep discussions with the Angels about his future.

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Pat Ragazzo
PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the main publisher and reporter for the Mets and Yankees On SI sites. He has been covering the Mets since 2018 and Yankees since 2021. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has appeared on several major TV Networks including: NBC4, CBS2, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1; and is a recurring guest on ESPN New York 880 AM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM. Pat is also the Mets insider for Barstool Sports personality Frank "The Tank" Fleming’s podcast. You can follow him on Twitter/X and Instagram: @ragazzoreport.