Clearly not content to be the second fiddle in the National League West to their neighbors to the north in Los Angeles, the San Diego Padres are closing out their offseason with the biggest move of them all - the longest contract extension in baseball history for the game's brightest young star. 

The Padres and 22-year-old shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. have agreed to a 14-year contract extension worth $340 million. In baseball parlance, San Diego is considered a "small market" team, but on just the left side of its infield, it now has two players with $300 million contracts (Manny Machado). The Padres have the third-highest favorite odds to win the World Series, after the Dodgers and Yankees, respectively. 

The Face of the Padres 

In a little less than a full season of play (143 games), Tatis Jr. already has 39 home runs and 27 stolen bases - and from the shortstop position, which makes him even more valuable. He also has a Silver Slugger award, finished third in MVP voting in 2020, and is on the cover of the new "MLB: The Show."

Not only is Tatis an incredible talent for a new generation of players and fans, but last season, he became the poster boy for doing away with many of baseball's unwritten rules when he hit a grand slam on a 3-0 pitch already up seven runs on the Rangers.

The Rangers were a little upset, but the vast majority of baseball supported Tatis, including his now rival with the Dodgers, Trevor Bauer. Bauer said at the time: "Keep swinging 3-0 if you want to, no matter what the situation is. Keep hitting homers, no matter what the situation is. Keep bringing energy and flash to baseball and making it fun."

Online sportsbooks have Bauer at +600 to win the National League Cy Young Award and Tatis Jr. at +900 to win the National League MVP award. 

Biggest Contracts in MLB History 

The deal for Tatis Jr. is the longest contract in baseball history at 14 years. His beats the 13 years signed by Bryce Harper and the Phillies in 2019 and the 13 years Giancarlo Stanton and the Marlins signed at the end of the 2014 season.

As far as richest contracts go, Tatis' ranks third. The most expensive contract in baseball history is the 12-year, $430 million contract given to Mike Trout by the Angels before the 2019 season. The second-most expensive deal is the one signed between Mookie Betts and the Dodgers in 2020 for $365 million.

Tatis Jr. is getting paid and will now make more in two-thirds of a season than his father made ($17.8 million) in his entire 11-year career. But from a team standpoint, this is also a very friendly deal. 

San Diego now has the face of the team, and maybe the league, locked up for his entire career for less than $25 million per season.

In comparison, Gerrit Cole is costing the Yankees $36 million a season, Anthony Rendon and Stephen Strasburg are each making $35 million a season, and Nolan Arenado is making $32.5 million per season.

Online bookmakers have the Padres at +425 to win the National League pennant, behind the Dodgers and ahead of the Braves.

Odds to Win the World Series 2021 at BetUS