Baseball reacts to Machado signing

February 20th, 2019

Manny Machado's record-setting 10-year, $300 million free-agent deal with the Padres made waves around the Major Leagues on Tuesday.

Here's how players, managers and front-office executives across baseball are reacting to the news.

MACHADO'S NEW PADRES TEAMMATES

1B Eric Hosmer
"He's a game-changing player. He's extremely talented. He brings that edge. We got to see what he did the last part of last year in L.A. We'll be glad to have him on our side now."

C Austin Hedges
"In our meeting today, as we started, we talked about how starved this city is for wins. That's what we expect to give them. Obviously the front office is making moves to help make that happen."

SS Fernando Tatis Jr.
On getting to play with Machado: "That would be awesome." More >

MACHADO'S NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST RIVAL MANAGERS

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (Machado's manager for the second half of 2018)
"He wants to play, he wants to be out there. The skill set you can't debate. And he wants to win. Obviously he's one of the best players in the game. Every team, every player is a challenge, but his skill set speaks for itself. We're gonna see him 19 times, and we're gonna try to find ways to get him out."

On Machado's controversial time in Los Angeles: "Manny wants to play. I think that some things were his doing, some things were kind of misconstrued, but he's taken ownership of that. He's learned from some things as he's continued to grow as a man, as a Major League player. But it was enjoyable for all of us to get to know him, and Andy [Green]'s getting a good player on his hands."

Rockies manager Bud Black
"He was in the division last year for the most important part of the season. The reality is, a really good player just came into the division. That's sort of how I look at it. But I ultimately know that what we have to do is our focus. You'll hear me continue to say that. I'm worried about us."

Giants manager Bruce Bochy
"When you get an impact player like that who signs with a team in your division, sure, no question, it makes [the Padres] tougher. Those guys [like Machado] are difference-makers."

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado
"I don't think he [Machado] has too much of an effect on me, I'm not sure. I just know that I'm happy he signed. I think it's really good for baseball, a well-deserved contract. We need these guys signed and we need these guys playing ball." (Arenado is a free agent after 2019.)

"Hearing the rumors that [the Padres were] a team that was in, I guess you could see that as a possibility. Being an East Coast kid, I didn't think he'd come all the way out to the West Coast. But the Padres are pretty good. They've got some pretty good players over there with Hos and [Manuel] Margot and some of their starters, and I heard they've got some really good prospects. So I guess they're going to be good in the future. It could be a good move." More >

Red Sox OF Mookie Betts
"I think we're different players, so obviously it's going to be a different time. I don't want to speak on anybody else's free agency. I've just got to worry about my own." (Betts is a free agent after 2020.)

Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts
"Oh wow. That's a lot [of money]. Good for him, man. He's stood out long and I'm assuming he got what he wanted, obviously if he ended up signing it."

"I don't see how it's bad for any other [free agent]. Any other player. I think that helps everyone. Good for him, man. He stood out long. He was one of the main guys that stood out and I'm assuming that he got the deal he wanted." (Bogaerts is a free agent after 2019.)

Red Sox manager Alex Cora
"Good for the kid, man. Good for the kid. Good for baseball. I know he had some issues with the organization a couple of years ago or whatever. I actually know him, and he's what, 26? I guess he got what he wanted, you know, and I think that's good for the game." More >

Yankees RP Dellin Betances
"It's good to not have to face him every so often. Obviously he was with Baltimore and he's going to the National League, so all I can say is congrats to him. He definitely got a great deal for him and his family. I'm happy for him. I just wanted what was best for him. We've got a great team. I think we made great additions to the squad. I'm just happy for his family."

Twins 2B Jonathan Schoop (Machado's friend and teammate with the Orioles)
"I’m mad at him because he didn’t tell me before he signed."

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli
"You know what? Congratulations. I’m sure he’s pretty happy with the outcome. He’s a heck of a player. He’s another guy I’ve had the opportunity to watch a lot over the years, all the way back to seeing him in instructional league. He was a man amongst boys at the time he was a young teenager. Heck of a player."

TEAMS THAT MISSED OUT

White Sox executive VP Ken Williams
"Well, I'm wearing my shades so that you guys don't see the shock in my eyes. It is disappointing. Very surprised. There are a few other words you can put on that. I'd be lying to you if I said anything other than that."

"We will be all right. We are still going to take steps forward. This is all very fresh, and some things need to be thought through. Nobody died. A baseball player went to another team. Manny's a good young man. He's a solid guy. He'll just be fine. I'm glad he's in the National League." More >

Phillies GM Matt Klentak
"If the reports are true, then this contract will exceed our valuation and sometimes you have to be willing to walk away. We made our bid, put our best foot forward and he ended up signing with the Padres."

"We have to remember that there will be other free agents after this offseason. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future to spend money and to make our team better. We cannot allow ourselves to be put in a position where we have to do something at all costs. There's a significant cost that we're willing to pay to add, but we have to be willing to walk away at some point." More >

Yankees manager Aaron Boone
"There are so many different things we covered over the course of the winter, so who knows where things ended up? To see [Bryce] Harper still out there this late, you never know where it's going to end up. I guess my take on it is that San Diego signed a really great player."

Yankees OF Aaron Judge
"The great thing about that going into the offseason was the lineup, the team that we have is pretty darn good. We won 100 games, so we weren't in a position I felt like that we really needed to go out there and grab too many big pieces. We were already set."

"[In 2017] we made it one game away from the World Series. And this past year we made it to the postseason and lost in the [Division Series]. We were just in a position where we needed to add maybe one or two key guys, bring back a couple key guys to get us over the hump, and I feel like we did that." More >