Machado breaks Padres HR record that lasted half a century
SEATTLE -- Manny Machado is alone atop the Padres' home run leaderboard.
His sixth-inning drive against the Mariners on Tuesday night -- in San Diego’s 7-3 win at T-Mobile Park -- was the 164th home run of his six-year Padres tenure, moving him past slugger Nate Colbert into the top spot.
Machado fell behind 1-2 in the count against Seattle’s George Kirby in his third at-bat and fouled off a pair of offerings before turning on a 96.5 mph fastball. Machado smashed it a Statcast-projected 429 feet out to center field for a two-run homer that put San Diego up, 5-2.
“What I saw from that at-bat was that the game rewards you … when you try to do the right thing,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “We got a leadoff double from [Jurickson Profar], and he’s grinding, really to make sure he moves him over. He fouled off some really tough pitches.
“And then he got something he could handle with the right intent, and smoked it for the club record.”
Machado knew it as soon as he hit it, too, giving the moonshot a long look at home plate before starting his trot around the bases.
“I’ve done it quite a few times – but sometimes they don’t go over the fence,” Machado said. “I’m glad this one did.”
As Machado came around to cross home plate, T-Mobile Park momentarily turned brown and yellow, with an audible chant of “Manny, Manny, Manny” ringing out from San Diego fans in the crowd.
“We’ve got a nice little crowd on the road and it’s been awesome,” Machado said. “They give us the energy we need, just like when we’re at Petco. It’s pretty nice when you score a couple runs and you come back into the dugout and you have the whole section behind you on top of our dugout cheering for us.”
With the win, the Padres maintained their half-game advantage over the D-backs for the first NL Wild Card spot and moved to 2 1/2 games ahead of the Braves and Mets, who are tied for the final spot.
A member of the Padres’ inaugural 1969 team, Colbert was renowned for his immense power and regarded as the franchise’s first star player. Colbert, who played for the club through 1974, passed away in 2023 at the age of 76. He had been atop that leaderboard after every season of the team’s existence.
Machado moved into a tie with Colbert on Friday in San Diego with the second of two home runs against the Giants. His first homer that night moved him past Adrián González into second place. Last month, he passed Dave Winfield and Phil Nevin. Last season, he passed Tony Gwynn.
“Just to be up there with the names that are up there -- you got legends that have played in this organization, [guys] that are in the Hall of Fame,” Machado said Friday. “Just to be a part of that, it’s a blessing. It’s special, for sure.”
Machado isn’t particularly close to the Padres’ single-season home run record of 50, set by Greg Vaughn in 1998. In fact, he doesn’t occupy any of the top 14 spots on the club’s single-season leaderboard. But he reached the franchise pinnacle with consistency.
His record-tying home run Friday was his 25th of the season. He’s just the third Padre to reach that mark in four straight years, joining Ken Caminiti (1995-98) and González (2007-10), and his five 25-plus homer seasons in San Diego tops the franchise record books.
“Good clubs have pillars,” Shildt said. “... You have guys that anchor your lineup, and he’s definitely that guy that anchors us offensively, defensively -- plays hurt, everything you could ask for from a player. And he shows up to win.”
Combined with his time with the Orioles and Dodgers, Machado has nine seasons with 25 homers or more -- tied for second among active players with Mike Trout.
Machado’s 164 homers since coming to San Diego on a $300 million deal prior to the 2019 season are eighth most in baseball in that time. His 339 career home runs rank sixth among active players.
“It’s amazing what Manny has been doing for this ballclub since he came here,” said right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., who hit a home run of his own to put the Padres ahead in the third inning. “It’s as Hall of Famer as you can put it.”
Machado added a single in the seventh, lacing a bases-loaded comebacker up the middle to drive in two more runs.
That will be Machado’s next hill to climb in the Padres’ record books. His 525 RBIs with San Diego rank fourth in franchise history, 48 behind Nevin for third. Machado’s not yet halfway to Gwynn’s franchise-record 1,138.