San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt (8) gets in between home plate umpire Mike Estabrook and San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) during the tenth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on June 9. David Frerker-Imagn Images

Manny Machado Has Testy Answer Regarding Padres' Home Run Struggles

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 8:00 PM ET

Of all the problems that have contributed to the Padres' lackluster play in recent weeks (they're 10-14 dating to their three-game sweep in Los Angeles on Aug. 15-17), the lack of home run power is perhaps the most alarming development.

To be clear, the problem is not new. Opposing teams have hit 77 home runs at Petco Park this season compared to the Padres’ 59. The Padres have been outhomered on the road too, 80-68.

The Padres' power outage came to a head Tuesday. Although they limited the Cincinnati Reds to five hits, three left the park. Fernando Tatis Jr. robbed another.

Meanwhile, for the 27th time in 70 home games, the Padres did not hit a home run.

“I don’t have the answer for you,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Go find someone who could give you those answers, and then come tell me. I want to know.”

It wasn't just Machado who was feeling frustrated by the trend.

"What do I make of it? Our record's good at home," Padres manager Mike Shildt told reporters after the game. "We win ballgames at home. There's different philosophies or thoughts about how people want to go about their offense. This is traditionally a pitcher-friendly park. This year it's been less pitcher-friendly, from a slug and OPS (perspective)."

According to Statcast, Petco Park has been more friendly to pitchers than hitters in general this season, including when it comes to home runs. Only two venues — T-Mobile Park in Seattle and Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas — have been more friendly to pitchers overall.

Shildt would like his team to do its part to change that.

"We love slug. We love homers," he said. "We're not looking to do anything but have a complete, holistic offense. I feel good about that. (Tuesday) we had four balls that were barreled right into the warning track in dead-center that didn't quite the traction to get out of the ballpark. ... How concerned am I versus the other team? I'm more concerned about scoring more runs and winning more games."

The Padres did more than any National League team to improve their internal options at the trade deadline. Yet other than Ramon Laureano, who has eight, no San Diego hitter has more than four home runs since Aug. 1. Only five active Padres have a slugging percentage north of .390 since then. Two (Bryce Johnson and Elias Diaz) are backups.

It might take a team-wide effort to reverse the trend, but the Padres still have a sliver of time to find their power stroke before the postseason.