Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado would have entered free agency in November 2019 at age 28 with all the attributes that would make him the primary target of the New York Yankees and several other teams: durability, youth, athleticism, premier defense, elite offense and a grinder’s mentality. But the Rockies stepped up with an offer that essentially asked, “How much more do you really want?”
The Rockies not only put $260 million in front of him (payable over eight years), they also gave him a full no-trade clause (something Manny Machado didn’t get from San Diego) and an opt-out after only three years (Machado has to wait five years for his opt out).