How Can a Padres Five-Time All-Star Third Baseman Turn It Around in 2026?
When discussing elite production at third base, one name has been prominent since the early 2010s. Since his 2012 debut, Manny Machado has consistently delivered at the plate. Pair his offensive skills with a generational arm and exceptional range at third, and you have a future Hall of Famer. Through his career, he's earned seven all-star nods, one Gold Glove, and three Silver Slugger Awards. Machado has played for three teams, but it’s likely he’ll enter the Hall of Fame as a Padre. The Padres are currently battling the high-spending Los Angeles Dodgers for first in the NL West. Despite the team’s strong play, Machado has struggled through the first month, leading fans to question if he can keep up his usual offensive numbers.
Prior Production
Coming into 2026, the three-time Silver Slugger Award winner had registered an OPS+ of at least 110 every season in San Diego. The consistent output, coupled with the veteran presence, has resulted in many viewing Machado as the captain of the San Diego Padres. Much of the production came from his power output. San Diego’s elite two-way infielder has smoked 27 or more home runs every season as a Padre since his signing in 2019. In his Padres career, the former Dodger has an OPS of .825. His legacy as a productive star is so cemented that the 33-year-old has become the Padres' all-time home run leader with 201 career long balls. All the production has resulted in Machado earning three Silver Slugger Awards and three All-Star nods in his seven full seasons in San Diego. On a season-to-season basis, the Padres legend has averaged an outstanding 3.9 WAR, narrowly edging out fellow star third baseman Nolan Arenado’s 3.8 WAR per season pace in the same time frame. However, through the first 46 games of 2026, it appears that great pace is going to take a hit.
Current Struggles
To start 2026, the gold glove caliber third baseman has been worth just -0.1 WAR, far below his usual numbers. All his struggles are offensive. In the field, the former Oriole ranks in Baseball Savant’s 83rd percentile—similar to Matt Chapman’s 85th. Machado’s range factor is in the 91st percentile, showing his athleticism at 35. At the plate, though, the results are poor. The former first-round pick has just a .617 OPS, with a .277 OBP and .182 batting average. The power numbers are better; he has hit seven home runs, a decent pace. For improvement, he must lean on his solid 66th percentile average exit velocity and strong 73rd percentile bat speed. The 2019 signee has always hit hard, and while his exit velocity is slightly down, he still makes solid contact. Another positive is his 74th percentile walk rate. Machado is seeing the ball well, but weak contact and poor luck have led to bad results. Even with the struggles, it’s realistic to think the 35-year-old will rebound. His May 19th two-run homer against the Dodgers shows that. For the Padres to stay atop the NL West, they need their team leader.
