Before developing his impressive game power, San Diego Padres star Manny Machado was known to be a doubles hitter.
In 2013, for example, he hit 51 two-baggers and 14 home runs.
A year later, however, his power took a step forward and many of those doubles turned into home runs.
He became one of the premier power-hitting third baseman in the league after that.
But for a day, however, he turned back into a doubles machine.
“Manny Machado becomes the first player in MLB history with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 3 runs scored, and a walk in a single game,” FOX Sports MLB tweeted.
Manny Machado becomes the first player in MLB history with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 3 runs scored, and a walk in a single game.
h/t @MLBMetrics pic.twitter.com/xPAOP6Et7l
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 22, 2022
Doubles are an incredibly underrated outcome in baseball.
Many players shoot for the fences, but gap power is also helpful for the run-scoring process.
The Padres Are Second Thanks To Machado
The game, which resulted in a 10-1 Padres victory over the San Francisco Giants, was good for solidifying the Friars’ second-place spot in the NL West, with a 27-14 record.
In total, Machado had four extra-base hits on the night, an incredibly rare feat to do without a home run involved.
It was just another brilliant night in a spectacular campaign for Machado so far.
The Padres’ leader, Fernando Tatis Jr., is currently out with a wrist injury, but Machado has made sure the Padres are still in the thick of things when the star shortstop returns.
In 2022, he has slashed .374/.446/.619 with eight blasts, 33 runs, and 27 RBI, and is one of the frontrunners in the race for the National League MVP award.
If it wasn’t for Machado, the Padres would probably be in third or fourth place in the surprisingly tough NL West.
Thankfully for them, they have him, and he is keeping himself on the road to the Hall of Fame with his 2022 performance.
NEXT: Robinson Cano Showed Enough For The Padres To Take A Chance