Elephant Rumblings: Padres sign Fernando Tatis Jr to 3rd-richest contract in MLB history

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

The Oakland A’s made serious headlines this week, signing two more free agents including an eight-figure salary for closer Trevor Rosenthal. But they weren’t the only team to make a significant transaction.

The San Diego Padres locked up a central piece of their long-term future by signing shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr to a 14-year contract that guarantees him $340 million along with a full no-trade clause. The 22-year-old is now committed to the club through his age-35 season.

The contract shatters one MLB record, as the biggest extension for a pre-arbitration player, at nearly $200 million more than the runner-up (Mike Trout). It’s also sets a new mark as the longest pact the league has seen, at 14 years. And it’s the third-richest deal of any kind in major league history, trailing just two other recent mega-extensions and exceeding every free agent ever.

1. $365 million, Mookie Betts, 12 years (LAD)
2. $360 million, Mike Trout, 10 years (LAA)
3. $340 million, Fernando Tatis Jr, 14 years (SDP)
4. $330 million, Bryce Harper, 13 years (PHI)
5. $325 million, Giancarlo Stanton, 13 years (MIA to NYY)
6. $324 million, Gerrit Cole, 9 years (NYY)
7. $300 million, Manny Machado, 10 years (SDP)
8. $275 million, Alex Rodriguez, 10 years (NYY)
9. $252 million, Alex Rodriguez, 10 years (TEX to NYY)
10. $248 million, Miguel Cabrera, 8 years (DET)

The annual value falls short of several others, which is to be expected since it’s buying out a minimum-salary season at the beginning and then a few winters of cost-controlled arbitration. But it’s still a historically massive outlay, and gives San Diego a second current entry on the above Top 10 list.

It’s a hell of a gamble for the Padres, who are suddenly acting like a big-budget club the last couple years. Tatis has still only played 143 games in the majors, not even one full season. But he’s already been worth around 7 WAR in that time, with an absurd 150 wRC+ at a premium defensive position, and he’s nowhere near reaching his prime yet on the traditional arc. If anyone deserves this kind of extreme early confidence, it’s him.

Tatis is already one of the best players in the sport, with a 4th-place MVP finish and a Silver Slugger on his resume, and he has all the tools to continue blossoming into the next generational superstar. Whatever happens on his journey, it’ll come in San Diego, where the Padres are doing their best impression of the division rival Dodgers’ extravagant but effective spending.

A’s Coverage

• AN: A’s had a contending offseason after all entering 2021
• AN: A’s sign Trevor Rosenthal to one-year, $11 million contract
• AN: A’s sign Mitch Moreland to one-year contract
• AN: A’s Spring Training 2021 guide: Roster, schedule, and news from first day of camp
• Coffey: In signing Trevor Rosenthal and Mitch Moreland, A’s make a push for the AL West ($$$)
• Coffey: Sean Murphy surprise, A.J. Puk update, Frankie Montas and more A’s spring notes ($$$)
• AN: A’s spring injury updates: Frankie Montas COVID-19, Sean Murphy lung
• AN: A’s infielder Nate Orf retires
• AN: Nationals sign T.J. McFarland; only one A’s free agent remains
• AN: Angel Mangual, A’s World Series hero, dies at 73

MLB News & Interest

• Davidi: Blue Jays set to open 2021 season playing home games in Dunedin (Florida)
• Zolecki: Realmuto breaks thumb, hopeful for opener
• Adams: Brian Dozier Announces Retirement
• Byrne: Cody Allen Retires
• Sypa: Tim Tebow retires from baseball
• Moura: The ‘drug of abuse’ vs. the pills: One pitcher opens up about battle within MLB ($$$)
• Today in Baseball History

MLB Transactions

In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the last two months weeks of the A’s offseason

Details on Rosenthal’s deferred salary (Trevor’s not Ken’s)

This could have been an alternate option to Moreland for the A’s, with some defensive versatility mixed in

Giants have done some serious work on their pitching staff this winter, inking a few starters, a new maybe-closer, and lots of cheap sleeper relievers

... Speaking of those sleeper relievers, here’s one of them. He was one of my favorite targets this winter, not that I’m complaining how the A’s pen turned out.

... Meanwhile, here’s one good arm the Giants let go

Just watching the remaining reliever market for fun at this point

... Another Oliver reliever but this one’s a lefty

... This one is a Brandon but that’s so 2012

Every Rays trade might be relevant, because you never know what random name will become their next breakout star

Rooting for Ravelo, but it would be bittersweet to see him become the next Max Muncy Hindsight Late-Bloomer down in Los Angeles

This move was already reported but now the salary terms are public

Best of Twitter

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Spring PFP!

Spring pix!

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Nice to bring back a free agent now and then

Moneyball

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New Athletic #2, as in 2-Bags

RIP to an original Oakland Athletic