For the second consecutive winter, the Major League Baseball free agency market has been slow-moving. A number of the top free agents remain unsigned with less than a month until pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training.
That includes the top two free agents that have been available in years, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, although they may both be on the brink of signing their new contracts.
Machado has surprisingly not had many suitors despite coming off a career year with the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit a combined .297/.367/.538 with 37 home runs and 107 RBI in 162 games.
One team that has shown interest in him is the Chicago White Sox, even going as far as trading for Machado’s brother-in-law Yonder Alonso and signing his good friend Jon Jay as a part of their recruiting process.
It was revealed earlier in the week that the White Sox’s current offer of the table to Machado is for seven or eight years. Some more light has now been shed on that offer as according to Buster Olney of ESPN, it is seven years and $175 million:
The White Sox offer to Machado is for $175 million, over seven years. In some ways, their approach is like Boston's w/ J.D. Martinez last winter — the Red Sox offered $100 million and waited for two months. If CWS offer emerges as best, a big ? is: Would Machado/NYY re-engage?
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 16, 2019
The Dodgers have not shown much interest in retaining Machado with Corey Seager due back from injury. But if seven years at $25 million per year is all it is going to take to get a superstar that is just entering his prime, then perhaps the Dodgers should rethink their stance on Machado.
Perhaps the only other team that has been pursuing Machado is the Philadelphia Phillies, although they may prefer signing Harper instead.
So while the White Sox’s current offer is significantly lower than what Machado was projected to sign for this winter, it may be the best he gets unless another team jumps with something more.
