Ahead of the 2023 season, Manny Machado, the best third baseman in the Major Leagues, who agreed to a huge 11-year, $350 million contract extension with the San Diego Padres, is not serious this season.
Machado played a big role in the offense and defense in the 2022 season, .298 .366 .531 (batting average-on-base percentage-slugging percentage) 32 home runs 102 RBIs wRC+ (adjusted scoring production capacity) 152 fWAR (contribution to victory over substitute players) 7.4 with excellent results and NL MVP He also came in 2nd place in the polls. Machado, who was able to exercise his right to opt out after the end of the 2023 season, agreed to a super-large extension contract with San Diego on February 27, showing his will to finish his playing career in San Diego.
But at this point, about a quarter of the way through the entire season, Machado is just below league average at the plate with a .231 .282 .372 (batting average-on-base percentage-slugging percentage), 5 home runs, 19 RBIs, and a wRC+ of 81. Even on May 16, he suffered a fracture from a sand dune and was placed on the injured list. The long slump and injury overlapped, and the eyes of the home fans toward Machado are getting colder.
Even the right-handed wagon, which was stronger against right-handed pitchers… Why did it become weaker against right-handed pitchers this year?
The biggest secret to Machado’s excellent batting performance last season that he came second in MVP voting was that his OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) against right-handed pitchers reached 0.915, much higher than against left-handed pitchers (0.855) against right-handed pitchers. because it showed its strengths.
However, this season, unlike last year, he is having difficulty making a proper hit, such as not being able to hit a strong bat even against a misplaced pitch thrown by a right pitcher. The ratio of batting balls with the ideal launch angle (8 degrees to 32 degrees) against right pitchers is also a career low of 25% (career average of 34%), so unlike last season, it is showing weakness against right pitchers.
Machado’s OPS of .539 against right-handed pitchers has been drastically reduced this season, and his inability to properly respond to right-handed pitchers’ fastballs exceeding 95 miles per hour (153 km/h) has led to his worst early season slump. identified as the major cause of
Repeated ‘WBC-odd year jinx’… When will Machado rebound?
Six years ago in 2017, Machado, who participated in the 2017 WBC as a member of the Dominican Republic national team, suffered the worst sluggishness, recording an OPS of 0.741 in the first half of the season, and ended up with a career-low OPS of .782-wRC+ 102, leaving a shabby record. I ended the season with it. And in this season, when the WBC was held again after 6 years, the sluggishness in the beginning is being repeated.
In addition, since the 2017 season, Machado has been repeating the jinx of being sluggish in odd years and active in even years, which is also a factor that makes it difficult to expect his rebound this season. On the other hand, San Diego, which was considered a favorite for the championship this season, has dropped to 0.447, widening the gap with LA Dodgers, the number one player in the world, by 7.5 games.
To make matters worse, however, Machado was hit on the palm of his hand and diagnosed with a microfracture, putting him on the injured list for the first time in nine years. First of all, Kim Ha-seong, who boasts the best defense in the league as an all-weather infielder, is taking the place of Machado. After Machado’s injury, Ha-seong Kim recorded a hit in every game in the 4 games in which he started as a third baseman, showing a good performance in batting.안전놀이터
After returning from injury, will Machado be able to regain his old look and dispel the concerns of the club and fans? It is noteworthy whether Kim Ha-seong, who is expected to be the starting third baseman for the time being, will be able to fill the vacancy of Machado and solidify his position as an infielder with both offense and defense.