The San Diego Padres want to put last season firmly in the rearview mirror as they start a new era of baseball in southern California. The health of third baseman Manny Machado is paramount in turning the page and the Padres issued an encouraging update on the six-time All-Star on Wednesday ahead of their first spring training game on Thursday.
Manager Mike Shildt said that Machado is “trending in a really good place” and could be in line to hit in games “sooner rather than later,” per AJ Cassavell.
Machado underwent elbow surgery right after the Padres’ 2023 season ended, with an expected recovery time of four-to-six months. Six full months stretches into the first week of the regular season, but it appears Machado will be able to take some swings in spring training games over the next four weeks with a chance of being ready for Opening Day.
Following a runner-up finish for NL MVP in 2022, Machado had a down year last season as did many of his Padres teammates. Though he launched 30 home runs and again played premier defense at third base, his hitting numbers were down across the board.
His elbow issue forced him to turn into a full-time designated hitter for the entirety of September as well. Though he’ll likely start the season in that same DH role, having Machado in the game in any sort of capacity is crucial for the Padres’ success.
He’ll return to the field sooner or later and will probably continue to make highlight plays at the hot corner. San Diego needs Manny Machado to swing a hot stick from April through October though if it wants to become one of baseball’s elite teams in 2024.
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