As special third baseman Manny Machado agreed to an 11-year extension contract with the San Diego Padres, ‘preliminary big leaguer’ Lee Jung-hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes) is likely to enjoy a reflective benefit. A well-known major league reporter also acknowledged it.
On the 27th (hereinafter referred to as Korean time), US reporter Jeff Bankan of ESPN reported on the news of the agreement between San Diego and Machado for an 11-year, $350 million contract extension. It was Machado who was initially expected to exercise his opt-out right to become a free agent after finishing this season, but he signed a virtual life-long contract with San Diego.
Machado, who signed a 10-year, $300 million free agent contract with San Diego in February 2019, has a six-year, $180 million deal remaining. However, his remaining contracts are canceled, and an 11-year, $350 million contract begins this year. He earned a total of $470 million over 15 years in San Diego, including the previous four years.
Machado’s stay in San Diego is a ‘significant event’ that will have a great impact on the major league free agent market in the future. Prior to Machado, another top-notch third baseman, Rafael Devers, signed an 11-year, $331 million extension with the Boston Red Sox early last month. Along with Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels), two of the free agent big-three hitters decided not to come to the market. .
Reporter Bankan said, “Multiple evaluators point out that the 2023-2024 free agent hitter base has become extremely thin as Machado and Devers are tied up.” , Matt Chapman (Toronto).
Reporter Bankan then referred to him as ‘another wild card, 24-year-old Korean outfielder Lee Jeong-hoo’ and singled out him as a free agent to pay attention to after declaring that he would advance to the major leagues through the posting system after the end of this season.
Lee Jung-hoo is already well known in the major leagues. Last year, he signed a contract with ‘Super Agent’ Scott Boras as the MVP of the KBO League and completed behind-the-scenes work to advance to the major leagues.
On the official major league website, MLB.com, ahead of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) to be held next month, Lee Jung-hoo was selected as one of the best 3 outfielders along with special major leaguers Mike Trout (LA Angels) and Mookie Betts (LA Dodgers), saying, “It may not be the best, but it is the most interesting.” He expected that he could become a player. 온라인바카라
As large free agents continue to line up from Devers to Machado, the free agent market situation is also going in favor of Lee Jung-hoo. Among the outfielders mentioned by the Bankruptcy reporter, Hernandez is also a designated hitter with a weak defense, and there are few FA outfielders who are equipped with both offense and defense. There are Cody Bellinger (Chicago Cubs), Zak Pederson (San Francisco), and Charlie Blackmon (Colorado), but their market value has declined compared to their heyday.