Padres' Manny Machado Reacts to Sudden Home Run Surge

The San Diego Padres have been struggling over the past few weeks, but third baseman Manny Machado has been hitting like a star with one of the hottest bats in the league.

Machado has been hitting the ball extremely well, slashing .313/.382/.483 on the season, with a great 145 wRC+.

Only a quarter through the season, he has 1.9 WAR, six home runs, and 25 RBIs.

While his offensive production has been steady, the home runs were not there for him early in the season. In his recent power surge, his process and mechanics are starting to finally generate the power he has long had in his bat.

In response to his recent hot streak, Machado details what led to his massive turn around.

“I’ve been doing it for a long time,” Machado told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

“You just know how it is. It’s a long season. … It was gonna be there at the end of the day. It’s a matter of making good contact. I’ve been making good contact, just right at people. That’s the way baseball goes sometimes. It definitely does feel good they’re going (out of) the ballpark right now.”

Right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill are established and consistent stars at this point, but Machado's breakout has the team poised to challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League West.

The offense, which was rattled by injuries, is picking up, due to the three stars, but other players like Gavin Sheets and Luis Arraez are getting it done lower in the lineup.