Former Yankees Slugger Inspiring Manny Machado as Record Approaches

Slowly but surely, Manny Machado is putting together a Hall-of-Fame career, and as he approaches a historic moment, he's drawing inspiration from a New York Yankees great.

The Padres third baseman enters play Tuesday with 1,990 hits and 355 home runs.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports that Machado could become the 12th player in MLB history with 2,000 hits and 350 home runs before turning 33. Machado, 32, turns 33 on July 6.

According to Nightengale, of the 11 players currently on the list, eight are in the Hall of Fame: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Lou Gehrig, Frank Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott and Ken Griffey Jr.,

Two players on the list are destined for Cooperstown when their time comes: Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera.

The final person on the list is former Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, whose 2014 suspension for performance-enhancing drug could prevent voters from selecting him for enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. But that doesn't concern Machado.

“I looked up to A-Rod, I looked up to Barry [Bonds], I looked up to Albert," Machado told USA Today. “They are all the guys I played the game for. Obviously, there’s other pretty, pretty special people, but those were the main guys that inspired my game. Those were guys who played the game elite. We wanted to be those guys.

“I wanted to be A-Rod, obviously, because I was a shortstop. I wanted to have Albert’s swing. I wanted to have the power that Barry had, hitting it into the water and breaking records that were never meant to be broken. ... So when people talk about that list, it’s pretty special," Machado added.

Rodriguez is a particularly compelling comparison for Machado. Both players began their big-league careers as Gold Glove shortstops with middle-of-the-lineup power. Interestingly, neither player won a Gold Glove after moving to third base.

Machado hasn't played shortstop since 2019, which was his first year in San Diego after signing 10-year, $300 million contract with the Padres. He opted out of that deal after the 2022 season and signed an 11-year, $350 million contract which runs through 2033.

It's highly unlikely the Padres will move Machado back to shortstop. San Diego signed former Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280 million contract in December 2022.

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