WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. | The news broke Tuesday afternoon that the San Diego Padres had signed free agent Manny Machado for $300 million — more than the total team payroll for the organization for the last three years.
The deal makes Machado, projected to take over third or short for the Padres, the face of the franchise.
Trea Turner, who was once projected to fill that starring role for the Padres, was happy for Machado.
“Good,” said the Washington Nationals shortstop. “I hope everyone gets $300 million. I think everyone would like that kind of money. I think it’s good. He is an unbelievable player, and for him to get a chance to get back and play is great.”
The Padres have a shortstop prospect in Fernando Tatis Jr, but they have been trying to get over losing Turner — their 2014 No. 1 draft pick — ever since Washington general manager Mike Rizzo fleeced them in 2015 by trading for Turner and pitching prospect Joe Ross in a complicated three-way deal that included the Tampa Bay Rays. The Nationals sent outfielder Steven Souza and minor league pitcher Travis Ott to Tampa to complete their part of the transaction.
At the time, Turner was a highly-touted prospect and the plan was for him to be the shortstop of the future for the Padres and a cornerstone for the franchise. Instead, they’ve been scrambling ever since they dealt Turner away.
Admittedly, Turner is not Manny Machado — who is simply one of the best in the game. Machado, 26, is a four-time All-Star and a two-time Gold Glove winner at third. In seven major league seasons, primarily with the Baltimore Orioles, he’s averaged 37 doubles, 31 home runs, 90 RBI and a .282 batting average. But he will cost San Diego $30 million a year for the next 10 years.
Turner, 25, established himself as one of the best shortstops in baseball last season, his third with Washington. He played in all 162 games and led the majors in at-bats with 664. Turner had 180 hits, a .271 batting average, 27 doubles, six triples, 19 home runs, 73 RBI, 43 stolen bases and 103 runs scored. He is one of the fastest players in the game and finished second in the National League in putouts among shortstops.
Turner cost Washington $577,000 last year. He will cost them $3.7 million this year. He won’t be eligible for free agency until 2023. And Turner may be just as exciting to watch as Machado this season if he delivers on Nationals manager Davey Martinez’s goal for him.
“I told him I want a little bit more (stolen bases) attempts,” Martinez said. “I think if he attempts 75 to 80, we’ll be in great shape.
“For me, it’s just build off of what he did last year,” Martinez said. “I told him he’s got a great game plan coming into spring and we’re going to just hone in on the things he needs to hone in. He told me he wants to get better, I challenged him to win a Gold Glove and just keep continuing to get on base and work good at-bats. As far as stealing, you know, I said you are going to steal a lot more bases if you attempt a lot more stolen bases. Last year he had 54, if he gets up to that 75 attempts, he’ll steal 65, 70 bases. That would be great. If he does anything more than that, that would be great.”
Turner, who led the NL in stolen bases last year, was a little shocked at what Martinez had told him. “He gave me a number and I said, ‘Wow … all right.’
Stolen bases are always a byproduct of doing other things well. You have to get on base a lot, you have to be in the right position, your teammates have to help you out a lot.
“He (Martinez) was serious, and I believe him,” Turner said. “It’s a lot. It’s possible. Hopefully a lot of things go right.”
On the day his old team raised its expectations and the expectations of its fans for this season with a $300 million deal for their new infield cornerstone, Turner learned that the Nationals have some of the same high expectations of their every-day shortstop.
Just a different price tag.
⦁ Hear Thom Loverro on 106.7 The Fan Wednesday afternoons and Saturday and Sunday mornings and on the Kevin Sheehan Show podcast every Tuesday and Thursday.
• Thom Loverro can be reached at tloverro@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.