Evans: Machado deal may force Rockies to look at trading Arenado

With star third baseman Manny Machado agreeing to reported record-breaking 10-year, $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, a major domino has fallen with regard to Nolan Arenado and his future with the Colorado Rockies.

“It means that’s the neighborhood that Nolan Arenado is now playing in. So, if the Rockies hope to retain Nolan, it’s got to be $30 million per year,” said “The Drive” co-host DMac on Tuesday. “You start there because he’s better than Machado.”

But if $30 million a year is potentially the floor for Arenado, “Schlereth and Evans” co-host Mike Evans said that may be “too rich for the Rockies blood” — a position in which he also agrees.

“Look, these deals are bad deals when you get to the final two, three years of it. It really doesn’t make sense to be paying that kind of money really for only the first six or seven years of this deal,” Evans said.

And if Colorado is unable, or unwilling, to pay Arenado that kind of money, Evans said the only logical step is to get something in return for the All-Star third baseman before he walks in free agency next offseason.

“In my opinion, it’s a hard decision to make, but I think it’s a brutal one that they have to make. They have to trade Nolan Arenado before this season starts to get the most in return,” Evans said.

Late last month, Arenado and the Rockies avoided arbitration by coming to an agreement on a one-year, $26 million deal, the most ever for an arbitration-eligible player, besting Josh Donaldson’s contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018 by $3 million.

Earlier in January, Arenado asked for $30 million in arbitration, and the Rockies countered with $24 million.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.