If you’re looking for the heart of San Diego’s rise in recent seasons, Manny Machado’s name is hard to miss. Since his arrival, the Padres have gone from hopeful to hungry, playing like a team built to win. He’s been the fire, the glue, and the force others rally behind. Fierce on the field and fierce for his teammates, Machado isn’t just consistent, he’s the kind of player who makes a team believe. And he has got his back covered by the manager himself.
Machado recently snapped after Dodgers pitcher hit Fernando Tatis Jr. in the series finale earlier this week. “Let’s just hope his scan comes back negative. (The Dodgers) gotta pray for it to come back negative tomorrow. They need to set a little candle up for Tati tomorrow. Hopefully, it comes back negative. That’s not a good spot to get hit. I don’t care who it is, I don’t care who’s on the mound.” Machado’s words were sharp. Can you blame him? Dodgers pitchers had hit Tatis for the third time in just nine days. Critics may have slammed the response, but the third baseman simply stood up for his teammate. Now, Padres manager Mike Shildt has stepped up to his defense.
“I think he’s probably one of the most misunderstood players in our game,” Shildt told Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. “It’s much more difficult now to have a strong opinion or conviction. I’m not green-lighting doing something inappropriate or to offend someone, but gosh, man, being able to be an alpha—it gets to be more of a challenge for players,” he added. The skipper’s words speak volumes about Manny’s character. Shildt would definitely understand the situation—in fact, it was his response that triggered the bench-clearing incident.
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Tatis fell to the ground in pain after he got hit by Dodgers rookie Jack Little’s fastball. What followed was a series of fiery exchanges—looks, words, and heat. Shildt and Dave Roberts clashed, and that ended with suspensions. “Competing hard every day is still OK. You want a commitment by every player to be willing to lay out, and that’s what comes with high expectations. I won’t apologize for that, and I don’t think Manny’s going to apologize either,” Shildt added. Those words explain what Machado means to the team.
Machado is the kind of player who brings a special energy to the dugout, and his impact is clearly visible. And guess what? He’s all set to make history by becoming just the 12th player to reach 2,000 hits with 350 home runs before turning 33. He currently sits at 1,989 hits and 354 home runs. His many seasons with 150-plus games and 9 consecutive years with 28+ home runs have him sitting alongside legends like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Lou Gehrig, Frank Robinson, and several more Hall of Famers. Maybe he’ll get an entry into Cooperstown one day, too—who knows? But for now, as the trade deadline approaches, his name has started to surface in conversations.
Trade talk around Machado
The Padres’ season is nothing short of underwhelming. They’re 5 games behind, with a 41–35 record, and sit 3rd in the NL West division. It’s obvious they’ll be looking to bolster their roster to boost their postseason odds. And now, Manny Machado finds himself at the top of trade speculations. Considering the weight of his lucrative contract, it’s understandable. The significant expense of his deal may be one of the reasons restricting the Padres’ options in acquiring additional talent.
“I don’t think it’s outlandish, but again, it’s not going to happen,” said Peter Appel on the Just Baseball Show. “The Padres need to get out from some money. I think Manny Machado is playing really well again. A lot of things would have to happen for the Padres to even consider this as a possibility,” he added. The nature of his 11-year, $350 million contract makes it hard for the team to let him go. But if it does happen, the Yankees may make a move.“Would some team take Machado off their hands? One team that I think could—is the New York Yankees,” Appel added.
His salary sits at $17 million this year, $25 million next year, and $39 million for the remaining seasons. This contract also includes a no-trade clause, so the possibility is almost zero—unless Machado green-lights a move. But if it’s ever to happen, this season might be it, especially with him in top form. He’s slashing .309/.373/.503/.876 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs over 76 games this season. Well, if Rafael Devers could be traded, Machado’s chances aren’t off the table either. Nothing is impossible in MLB.
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