Padres News: Expert Names His Pick For Friars’ Franchise Cornerstone
Even though MLB insiders were not always confident that your San Diego Padres had Manny Machado as a guranteed part of their future plans, the front office put a stop to all of those rumors when they locked him down for 11 more years.
The star third baseman has become not just the leader of the Friars but an icon within the city. San Diego has fully embraced what be brings to their squad and despite all of the other stars that are on the roster, there is going to be a different type of energy whenever Machado steps to the plate this season.
The 30-year-old slugger has made it clear that now that his contract extension has been taken care of, nothing else is on his mind but winning the Padres their first World Series in franchise history. He held down the team when Fernando Tatis Jr. was unable to suit up and even before San Diego acquired Juan Soto.
Machado deserves every single dollar of his new deal and for that reason, Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer has named him as the Padres' current franchise cornerstone
"Though, to be sure, the ongoing rise of Manny Machado is also a factor. And the Padres clearly agree that he's irreplaceable, or they otherwise wouldn't have signed him to yet another $300 million contract in February."
"Still, the risk of the contract is less than subtle. Machado has been especially brilliant over the last two seasons, but last year nonetheless saw him post a career-worst xwOBA. Factoring in that he'll turn 31 on July 6, there's a Judge-like ticking of the clock going on here."
(Via Bleacher Report)
Back in the 2021 season when Machado was still relatively new to the Padres and Tatis was having a historical season at shortstop, everybody would've looked his way to be their main guy moving forward. However, his drama on and off the field has put him in a position that he'll have to climb upwards from.
Machado won't have to carry as heavy a load as he did last season now that he has much more talent around him but definitely look to see him in MVP conversations as the season progresses.
