Report: Padres express interest in arranging meeting with Machado

The San Diego Padres want a face-to-face meeting with superstar free agent Manny Machado, sources told Dennis Lin of The Athletic.

The team reportedly expressed interest in sitting down with Machado, possibly in Miami, to get some face time before becoming more involved.

The Padres recently emerged as contenders in the Machado sweepstakes and it seems like they want the four-time All-Star to play third base.

San Diego's arrival as a potential player for Machado, and possibly Bryce Harper and Miami Marlins' All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, is somewhat surprising as the team finished with the sixth-worst record (66-96) in the majors in 2018 and aren't viewed as a World Series threat.

Machado is also being courted by several others teams as he visited the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies last month.

The White Sox appear to have an offer on the table, however, the exact figure is unknown. According to reports, the range could be anywhere from $175 million to $250 million.

The 26-year-old Machado is coming off a big 2018 season that saw him slash .297/.367/.538 with 37 home runs and 107 RBIs while playing in 162 games between the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers.