Sep 22, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) takes off his helmet after hitting a fly ball during the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Padres' Manny Machado Claps Back at Reporter After Wild Card Loss

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By Patrick Warren | Last updated Oct 4, 2025 12:30 PM ET

Manny Machado wasn't having it with a seemingly innocent question from a Padres beat reporter Thursday afternoon after San Diego was eliminated from the playoffs by the Chicago Cubs in a 3-1 Wild Card matchup.

After Machado answered questions for around five minutes, CBS 8 San Diego's Jake Garegnani asked how he would evaluate the Padres' season.

Evidently, Machado took offense to the question, giving a terse response and ending the locker room media scrum.

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's frustrations likely reverberated throughout the city of San Diego, which saw a Padres team struggle to produce on offense throughout the entirety of the Wild Card round.

As a team, the Padres averaged .189/.243/.305 at the plate in the three-game series against the Cubs. Machado and Jackson Merrill hit the team's only two home runs and the Padres were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Game 3.

The Padres' series loss comes despite a strong pitching performance, as the team held a 2.16 ERA and 1.04 WHIP throughout the playoffs.

“They gave us a chance,” Fernando Tatis Jr. told reporters. “And we definitely missed an opportunity.”

The Padres now face a long offseason during which they will have to reconcile with the disappointment of making it all the way to the Wild Card round only to be eliminated days after celebrating clinching the postseason.

"It sucks," Machado said — before his later outburst. "For sure. It's a position you don't want to be in. We wanted to be holding up the trophy ad the end of the year. It was our goal at the beginning of the season. We fell short."

The Cubs move on to the NL Division Series, where they will take on the Milwaukee Brewers beginning Saturday.