Juan Soto, Manny Machado had 'difficult' Padres relationship

12/15/2024 02:31 PM

Juan Soto just signed a historic 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, meaning this will be the third team he’s been on over the past year. Last offseason, Soto was traded from the San Diego Padres to the New York Yankees, and while the Padres were worried about his impending free agency, it sounds like his relationship with Manny Machado may have been another reason for the team to make the trade.

While San Diego went on a deep playoff run with Soto and Machado leading the way, there were several reports of tension within their locker room. Those reports appear to have been true, as Soto allegedly told teams that he met with during his free agency in November that he had a “difficult” relationship with Machado during their time together.

“Soto later acknowledged during his November conversations with teams that his previous relationship with a superstar teammate — in San Diego with the Padres’ Manny Machado — had been difficult,” Buster Olney and Jeff Passan of ESPN reported.

Juan Soto, Manny Machado’s frayed relationship could have led to Padres trade

The Padres didn’t want to risk losing Soto for nothing in free agency like the Yankees just did, which was their primary motivation for pulling off this blockbuster trade. However, it also could be viewed as a sign that the team wanted to ride with Machado, who is signed to his own long-term deal with the team, which wasn’t the case for Soto.

Whatever the reason may be, Soto is now with the Mets, while Machado is still leading the Padres. But looking back on their time together with San Diego, it looks like there were some serious problems brewing between two of the teams’ superstars, and it makes the Padres decision to trade him last offseason look even smarter.

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