Padres Manny Machado Says 'No Hard Feelings' Amid Contract Drama
In the current sports world where it feels like every season there are more and more star players sitting out and requesting for trades, it is very refreshing to see Manny Machado going about his contract talks with the Padres in such a mature manner.
For those who hadn't heard, the star third baseman gave San Diego's front office a February 16 deadline to offer him an extension prior to his pending free agency this next offseason. They responded with an offer that was about $145 million different than he had in mind and he has now paused money talks with the team since Spring Training started.
Some may think that Machado would feel hurt after the franchise didn't quite match his expectations following a stellar 2022 season but the NL MVP finalists actually looked to be in good spirits when he spoke on the matter with media.
"Business is business. There's no hard feelings," said Machado. "I'm going to go out there and play baseball and perform. That's my job, that's my duty. Like I've always said, it's about the fans and going out there, performing, and bringing a championship to the city."
Machado knows the potential of this year's squad now that they are healthy and adding some big new pieces. Despite the team not committing to him for as long as he would like just yet, he is still under contract for this season and is not losing sight of the bigger picture for the city.
Even if San Diego opts to spend their money on his other star teammate Juan Soto or somebody else in the market, Machado will have plenty of suitors looking to add such a talented and experienced slugger. The Chicago Cubs and New York Mets have already been linked to him and are rumored to be preparing to offer him a massive contract after this season.
