Manny Machado Has Set Incredible Example for Padres, Says All-Star Infielder

Maren Angus-Coombs | Mar 19, 2025

Mar 5, 2025; Peoria, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres infielder Manny Machado against the Colorado Rockies during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres infielder Manny Machado has sights set on Cooperstown and is just a few milestones away from sealing his fate.

Machado has reached 1,900 career hits and is just eight home runs shy of 350. Only 297 players in MLB history have recorded 2,000 hits, and just 77 have reached both 2,000 hits and 350 home runs.

The third baseman hasn't shied away from talking about his future enshrinement either.

“We all play for that,” he said recently of making the Hall of Fame. “We play to win, but I’m also putting myself in a good spot to be mentioned to possibly be a Hall of Famer. I mean, it’s an honor to even get in that conversation. Putting up those numbers, seeing those numbers, they just keep creeping up.”

More news: Padres Announce New Rivalry With AL West Team, With Winner Getting Trophy

Even though Machado wants the individual recognition, he is also about the team. He wants to help the San Diego Padres win a World Series and his approach to that is by becoming the best leader in the clubhouse and on the field.

Machado has set an incredible example for his younger teammates.

“It’s been the entire time I’ve played with him,” said Jake Cronenworth. “It’s very impressive,  the level that he still performs at whatever he’s going through and doing what he does on the field. It sets a standard for the group. Me, a young guy on the team, seeing him hurt playing through stuff, I’m like, ‘Well, if something happens to me, I can’t just go down.’ He helps set a standard for what our group is.”

For the first time in a long time, Machado feels completely healthy which wasn't the case at all last year. He told reporters earlier this spring that his elbow never felt 100 percent until this winter.

More news: Padres Manager Provides Unfortunate Update on Matt Waldron's Injury

Despite playing through multiple injuries, Machado has still put up big numbers.

“Thinking about how bad he was for a stretch of time last year, and he still ends up with 30 homers and 100-plus RBIs,” Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove said Saturday. “You almost don’t even — like at the end of the year, you look at the numbers and you’re like, ‘How the (expletive) did that happen?’ He always finds a way to produce.”

If a 30-homer, 100-plus-RBI season is what Machado can do injuried, seeing what he can do healthy might be frightening for opponents.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.