In the end, after weeks of consternation and grumbling and one prominent player suggesting the free-agent freeze could lead to a midseason player strike, Manny Machado received a contract commensurate with predictions at the start of the offseason: 10 years and $300 million.
That the deal is with the San Diego Padres feels only like a mild surprise at this point, given the various reports and rumors the past three-plus months. While it's not the record contract that agent Dan Lozano might have desired -- Giancarlo Stanton signed a 13-year, $325 million extension with the Marlins after the 2014 season -- it is the largest free-agent contract in the history of American sports.