Manny Machado is up for October baseball.
On Saturday, during a home game at Petco Park, Padres’ fans had a lot to celebrate beyond the 11–3 whipping of the Colorado Rockies. San Diego’s 81st victory of the season may have been the end of their all-star third baseman’s hitting slump.
A home run powered by Machado, his 25th of the season, had to have brought relief to the team. It followed another in the first inning on Friday that snapped his 0–17 drought at the plate throughout the homestand.
As the postseason is about to commence once the final dozen games are played out of the regular season, a couple of hot bats swung by Machado couldn’t have been timed better. However, for the Padres to be hitting on all cylinders come the postseason, more long balls will be needed consistently.
For Sunday’s game, Padres manager Mike Shildt gave Machado a much-needed day off, and the Padres won 9–6 over the Rockies. San Diego will now be finishing off the 2025 schedule, starting with three games on the road against the New York Mets, who are only 1.5 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants for the final National League Wild Card position. Next, there are three road games for the Padres against the Chicago White Sox.
In addition, a six-game homestand is scheduled later this month with the Milwaukee Brewers, who with 91 wins have already clinched postseason play, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are closing in on the Giants for a Wild Card spot.
The Padres are looking solid for the postseason. They could overtake Los Angeles for the National League West title and won’t have to worry about backing into October baseball through the Wild Card Series. Machado, now in his seventh season with San Diego, understands what the battles against the Dodgers mean to the franchise, and especially to their fan base.
Only one season ago, the Padres were paired with the Atlanta Braves in Wild Card play. After eliminating the Braves in two games, when it came to the National League Division Series, the Padres went down in their matchup with Los Angeles three games to two.
San Diego has won two National League pennants since joining the MLB in 1969. Those 1984 and 1998 pennant wins remain distant reminders to Padres’ fans that fate hasn’t been kind to them. October 2025 could offer another opportunity to return to the World Series, and in all likelihood, it could be yet another showdown with the Dodgers.
More times than not, particularly when it comes to starting pitchers, many millions are required to acquire a player’s service, only for them to flame out long before the length of the contract.
However, the Padres spent wisely when the club won the race to sign Machado for the 2019 season. Machado is a model free agent signing. He hustles and chases balls hit to the right and to the left of him with the same gusto as in 2019. During his first seven seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, starting when he was just 20 years old in 2012, Machado was an automatic fixture in the lineup.
The Padres continue to spare no money when investing in their roster. At $215.8 million, San Diego’s payroll ranks ninth among 30 clubs.
By today’s professional sports standards, the Padres’ 10-year $300 million deal with Machado in 2019 may have been a bargain. Pleased with the return on their investment, the Padres agreed to re-sign Machado in February 2023, extending their prize third baseman until 2033. The new 11-year deal agreed to by Machado is for $350 million.
If he didn’t agree to remain with the Padres, other MLB clubs would have jumped at the opportunity to make their pitch for his services. At his first go-around as a free agent, after the Orioles traded Machado to the Dodgers in July 2018, the New York Yankees were among the leaders vying for his services—although New York never made a formal offer to Machado and stated they were prioritizing pitching at the time.
San Diego continues to work for Machado. His 2025 batting average of .277 is remarkably close to his lifetime .279 average. He has grown into a leader and has embraced such a role by performing as expected.
Getting the Padres past the Dodgers in the playoff starting line isn’t enough anymore. Defeating the defending World Series champions and snagging the pennant is anticipated. Anything less is a personal failure for Machado and his teammates.
The Padres remain one of five current franchises never to have won the World Series title. The Brewers are among the five clubs looking to reverse franchise World Series misfortunes, too.
But Machado’s got his game back. The National League is put on notice. October baseball can’t come soon enough.
