Sep 28, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) looks on during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Padres' Manny Machado Called Out By Major Analyst for Disrespecting Reporter

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By Patrick Warren | Last updated Oct 4, 2025 3:30 PM ET

Padres third baseman Manny Machado had a bit of a tense interaction with a reporter after the Padres fell 3-1 in Game 3 of the Wild Card to the Chicago Cubs, ending their season.

Near the end of Machado's locker room media availability, CBS 8 San Diego reporter Jake Garegnani asked a question that clearly rubbed Machado the wrong way.

"I know it just ended," Garegnani asked Machado. "But how do you assess a season like this?"

Machado adamantly expressed his frustrations with the question.

I asked Manny Machado how he would assess the 2025 season. Here is what he said to me. @CBS8 | #FightForTheFaithful #Postseason #Padres pic.twitter.com/es85lKSj99
— Jake Garegnani (@JakeGaregnani) October 3, 2025

"Um, I mean what type of question is that dude? My guy," Machado said. "How do I assess the season? We just lost. How do you think I assess it?

"Come on dude. You can ask better questions than that. Let's go. Come on. You're gonna wait until the last second to ask that question? Come on bro, you know better than that."

Machado and Garegnani's interaction went viral as Twitter users and media personalities debated whether Machado overreacted to Garegnani's question.

Sports radio host Jim Rome took Garegnani's side, defending the question as a standard thing to ask once a season reaches its end.

"How could you be surprised by that question?" Rome said on The Jim Rome Show. "Or so angered by that question, offended by that question? If now is not the time to ask the question 'How would you assess how the season ended,' when is the appropriate time? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Spring training?"

Yo Machado, would you rather be grilled about your career .209 postseason BA or clap back at another benign end-of-season question? pic.twitter.com/Eoc2eNNFzX
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) October 3, 2025

Rome continued to come at Machado, bringing up the third baseman's subpar postseason statistics. This postseason, Machado went 1-for-10 at the plate, with two RBIs, one home run, and two walks. He struck out three times.

Machado hasn't hit above .200 in the postseason since the Padres' 2022 NLCS run, when he batted .271 with a .910 OPS and four home runs.

"And by the way, what else are they even supposed to ask after that game?" Rome said. "How about this, would you rather get grilled about why your career postseason batting average is .209? Would that have been better? Or, why you have hit below .200 in each of the last two postseasons. Should he have asked that question? Would that have been better Manny?"