Manny Machado News: Yu Darvish Hopes He Left Money on the Table for Padres Star

Padres pitcher Yu Darvish hopes the lower average annual value on his contract leaves some room for San Diego to sign Manny Machado to an extension.

The Padres signed pitcher Yu Darvish to a six-year contract extension this week, committing $108 million to the right-handed through his age 41 season. Darvish would have been a free agent after the 2023 season, but now it looks like he'll finish his career in San Diego.

Another Padres star who could become a free agent later this year is third baseman Manny Machado, who is entering the fifth year of his 10-year, $300 million contract but has an opt-out clause after this season. Machado hasn't said whether he intends to opt out, but after this winter's record contract numbers, the assumption from everyone is that he will. That has a lot of people talking about San Diego and the MVP runner-up working out an extension of their own to keep him in town long-term.

Darvish was asked on Friday by radio host Sammy Levitt for his thoughts on Machado, and Yu made it clear he hopes Manny sticks around.

"I know that everybody wants for Manny to stay here. When you look at my contract, the average is a little bit on the lower end, so maybe that can go towards Manny."

I asked Yu Darvish if he has any kind of recruiting pitch to Manny Machado.

Darvish: "I know that everybody wants for Manny to stay here. When you look at my contract, the average is a little bit on the lower end...so maybe that can go towards Manny."pic.twitter.com/e435MPDrdC

— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) February 10, 2023

Darvish is right about the AAV of his contract. At $18 million per year, it's $3 million lower than the six-year, $126 million deal he signed with the Cubs after the 2017 season. Some of that might just be an extended deal for purposes of the luxury tax — a five-year, $108 million deal with an extra year tacked on that no one expects much from.

But even if that's the case, it does make a little more payroll flexibility for Machado. Padres owner Peter Seidler is not afraid to spend money to make sure the team reaches its potential, and it seems like an extension for Machado is almost inevitable.