The San Diego Padres walked into Busch Stadium on Tuesday night hoping to find answers. Instead, they got more of the same — and Manny Machado didn’t bother with spin.
After striking out twice in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Padres’ third baseman sat down with former San Diego ace Jake Peavy for a conversation that laid bare the team’s offensive struggles. The clip, shared by TNT Sports, showed Machado offering a candid assessment of where things stand.
“We’re getting the bad out of the way early,” Machado told Peavy, according to the footage. The line landed somewhere between hope and resignation — the kind of statement that sounds better in April than it does in mid-June.
The Numbers Behind the Frustration
Machado’s 2026 season has been a puzzle. The seven-time All-Star entered Tuesday hitting roughly .175 with 12 home runs and 35 RBIs, producing a .613 OPS that sits well below his career baseline. His power hasn’t vanished — those 12 homers prove he can still drive the ball — but the consistent contact that defines elite hitters has been missing.
Mechanical issues are part of the story. Machado acknowledged he’s been opening his front shoulder too early, a timing flaw exacerbated by a shortened spring training that left him searching for rhythm from Opening Day.
Why This Matters Beyond One Player
The Padres’ lineup was built around Machado’s production. When he struggles, the entire offense feels it. San Diego has lacked consistency at the plate all season, and Tuesday’s game offered little relief — Machado finished 0-for-3 with those two strikeouts as the Padres fell behind early and couldn’t climb back.
Peavy’s presence added an extra layer to the conversation. As a former Padres ace and current MLB Network analyst, he bridged the franchise’s history with its present frustration. The exchange felt less like a typical postgame interview and more like two professionals acknowledging hard truths.
Still, Machado’s message left room for optimism. If the Padres are truly getting their worst baseball out of the way now, June offers time to correct course before the playoff race tightens.
But time runs out fast in a competitive NL West. The Padres need more than hopeful words — they need better at-bats, starting with their highest-paid star. Machado knows that is the reality, which makes his honesty both refreshing and revealing.
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