Polarizing Padres star bolsters Hall of Fame case with impressive milestone

In doing so, Machado joined an exclusive club. He's now one of 12 players with 350 or more home runs and 2,000 or more hits through their age-32 seasons. Eight of these players are HOFers: Mel Ott, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson and Ken Griffey Jr.

Machado could still be considered a polarizing star, despite the impressive milestone. Throughout his career, he has faced criticism for not giving his best effort on every play.

"I'm not the type of player that's going to be 'Johnny Hustle,'" Machado said of this criticism in October 2018, via The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

He's not always respectful to opposing fans, either. A TikTok video that surfaced in June showed Machado pretending he was about to toss a ball to a fan in a road game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He then directed an obscene gesture toward the fan and kept the ball.  

HOF voters, however, may be willing to ignore that, considering his impressive résumé. 

In 14 seasons with the Padres, Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles, he has been selected to the All-Star Game seven times and won two Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves. He also finished second in National League MVP voting during the 2022 season. 

Machado takes excellent care of his body, so he should continue to play at an elite level the rest of his career. 

"Coming (to the Padres), I remember just seeing the way he prepares and takes care of his body," Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts said, via The Athletic's Dennis Lin. "That's the reason he has so many hits. He's played so many games. That's the reason, man."

Machado may not be considered a fan favorite, but it appears he's on track to Cooperstown, N.Y. His numbers and accomplishments support that claim.