Padres, Fernando Tatis Jr. Agree To 14-Year, $340 Million Extension

The San Diego Padres and star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. have agreed on a 14-year, $340 million extension through the 2035 season. This is the third-largest contract in baseball history and solidifies a Padres-Dodgers rivalry for years to come.

Tatis also managed to land a full no-trade clause through the entirety of the deal. So much for a pandemic.

Tatis is now the face of Major League Baseball, and it's not that close. He might not be the best player in the game, but the Padres' star is far and away the most exciting. There were always a few players challenging Ken Griffey Jr. for the game's best player, but it never mattered because Griffey's swing was too iconic. No one could touch his popularity, just as Mookie Betts or Mike Trout can't match Tatis' ability to take a crowd's breath away. Some things are bigger than talent.

Of course Tatis will end up leaving money on the table long term--it's just too sweet of an offer to turn down 14 years of security. Not only that, but he'll be paid $24.29 million every year until 2035, so it's not like he's getting swindled either.

Overall, it's an excellent deal for both sides that still runs circles around the 8-year, $100 million contract Braves' star Ronald Acuna Jr. signed in 2019. After reading the details on this report, I still have no clue how Acuna's agent hasn't been fired.