San Diego Padres Manny Machado (31) showed his presence for a long time with a series of hot home runs. Although he was unable to play defense due to elbow pain, he led San Diego’s comeback victory as a designated hitter.토토사이트
Machado started as the 4th designated hitter in the 2023 Major League Baseball away game against the LA Dodgers held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA on the 12th (Korean time), and hit a solo shot in the 4th inning followed by a two-run shot in the 6th, making him the 27th and 28th player of the season. He hit consecutive home runs and played an active role with 2 hits and 3 RBIs in 5 at-bats.
Machado came out as the leadoff hitter in the 4th inning, when San Diego was down 2-7, and let Gavin Stone catch up with a solo home run to left-center. Even with no outs on first base in the 6th inning, he hit a two-run home run against Stone, leading the team to a 6-7 chase. San Diego, who continued to attack and tied the score with three consecutive hits, achieved an 11-8 comeback victory with Juan Soto’s final three-run home run in the ninth inning. It was a victory that overturned a 5-point deficit.
Machado has appeared only as a designated hitter in all nine games this month. This is because he felt pressure from throwing due to pain in his right elbow. The reason why starting second baseman Ha-seong Kim played as the starting third baseman in 3 out of 10 games in September. He filled Machado’s defensive gap with Matthew Batton (6 games) and Egui Rosario (1 game). As a third baseman this year, Ha-seong Kim showed stable defense with 1 error in 245⅓ innings in 31 games (28 starts).
According to MLB.com, after the game, Machado said, “I am considering elbow surgery after the season. “We are looking at all avenues to see what we can do to solve this problem and improve it,” he said. The tennis elbow condition that has been bothering Machado for the past two years is getting worse.
Machado was silent about the specific surgery, but MLB.com explains that even if surgery is performed on tennis elbow due to an injury unrelated to the medial collateral ligament, the recovery time will be faster than Tommy John.
With San Diego’s postseason chances all but gone, there appears to be no need for Machado to delay surgery. All-weather infielder Kim Ha-seong can be seen at third base. But Machado said, “We are professionals. I’m an athlete, and we train all year for this moment. “If you are in this position, you have to go out and compete no matter what,” he said, emphasizing his professional spirit.
Machado is having his worst year since moving to San Diego in 2019, with a batting average of .252 (126 hits in 500 at-bats), 28 home runs, 84 RBIs, and an OPS of .775 in 128 games this season. Before the season, he signed an 11-year, $350 million, ultra-long-term extension contract with San Diego, but he is swallowing his disappointment with below-expected performance. As the team mentioned as a candidate for the championship fell to 4th place in the district, Machado is also considered the culprit of the fall.
Injuries were a problem. He had back pain in April, and in May, he was hit by an opponent’s pitcher’s ball and suffered a micro fracture on the side of his left palm, putting him on the injured list for the first time in nine years. Although it is a difficult season due to elbow pain at the end of the season, Machado has a strong intention to complete the season. Although San Diego’s elimination from the postseason is certain, Machado is determined to play, saying, “I want to play until there is still mathematical hope.”