Machado earns another First Team All-MLB selection
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SAN DIEGO -- As Manny Machado goes, so go the Padres, it seems.
In the fledgling four-year history of the All-MLB Team selections, Machado has earned First Team honors twice. In both seasons, the Padres advanced to the postseason.
? All-MLB Team presented by Arm & Hammer and OxiClean
That includes 2022, as Machado on Monday was named the third baseman on the All-MLB First Team after leading the Padres to a National League Wild Card berth. It was a repeat of ¡®20, when Machado first earned All-MLB honors and the Padres reached the playoffs in the pandemic-shortened season.
The 2022 All-MLB selections were based 50% on the judgment of a panel of experts and 50% on fan voting held last month. Voters were asked to consider only regular-season performances.
Machado¡¯s body of work -- a slash line of .298/.366/.531, plus 32 home runs, 100 runs scored, 102 RBIs and excellent defense -- rated ahead of the Cardinals¡¯ Nolan Arenado, who earned Second Team recognition. The All-MLB voting was in line with the NL MVP balloting by the Baseball Writers¡¯ Association of America, in which Machado finished second to Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, while Arenado was third.
The biggest difference between Machado¡¯s two All-MLB seasons is that this time around, he didn¡¯t have Fernando Tatis Jr. playing to his left. Machado, 30, shouldered a greater load both in the lineup and in the clubhouse. Perhaps knowing this, he returned to the field earlier than expected after a scary-looking left ankle sprain in June.
Before and after his return, Machado deflected questions about the injury. But he clearly came back at less than 100%. His OPS in July was .694 -- .146 lower than any other month last season.
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Machado played because the Padres needed him. His presence in the lineup was essential, even if his production fell off while he healed.
¡°If you go out there and post every single day,¡± he said on Nov. 18, just before the MVP results were revealed, ¡°you play, you lead by example, you put your blood, sweat, tears into this game and this uniform, I think guys will appreciate that.
¡°That¡¯s the biggest accomplishment for a player. You go out there, and you know you¡¯re going to leave everything on the field -- for your teammates, for your city and for your organization.¡±
The Padres have had at least one First Team player in each of the four seasons of All-MLB selections:
2022: Manny Machado, 3B
2021: Fernando Tatis Jr., SS
2020: Manny Machado, 3B, and Fernando Tatis Jr., SS
2019: Kirby Yates, RP