With all the attention on Fernando Tatis Jr. after an 80-game PED suspension was levied his way, the San Diego Padres have needed a bit of a distraction, and they got one last night in the best way possible.
With Juan Soto and Josh Bell now members of the Padres, Manny Machado has two of the best pure hitters protecting him in the lineup.
And it’s clear that Machado is enjoying having Soto and Bell around.
Last night, he picked up two hits, which makes it eight straight games where he has picked up multiple hits.
Also, according to Padres insider Kevin Acee, it’s the 29th time in 61 plate appearances that Machado has batted with Soto on base.
Eight games in a row with multiple hits for Manny Machado.
Also, this was the 29th times in 61 plate appearances since Aug. 3 that Machado came to the plate with Juan Soto on base.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) August 17, 2022
A Strong Supporting Cast
It’s safe to say that Machado is not only enjoying having Bell and Soto around, but he’s benefitting from it as well.
For the season, Machado is hitting .305 with 21 home runs, 73 RBI, and a .909 OPS.
Having extra support in a lineup can certainly help with a player’s production, so it would be no surprise to see Machado stay hot now that he’s got a great supporting cast behind him in the Padres lineup.
He’s been on fire ever since Soto and Bell came over from the Washington Nationals.
When you can have a nice, long streak of getting multiple hits in games, you’re doing something right.
But it’s clear that Machado is benefitting from having these guys around.
All three sluggers picked up at least one hit last night as the Padres put the smackdown on the Miami Marlins, winning 10-3 and avoiding a three-game sweep.
We’ll see if Machado can stay hot with his new supporting cast.
NEXT: No One In MLB Draws Walks Like Juan Soto