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The Padres stay on the outer fringes of the NL wild-card race, as San Diego is seven video games behind the Diamondbacks for the ultimate wild-card berth, and the Marlins, Reds, and Giants are all sandwiched between Arizona and San Diego within the standings. Barring a miraculous September surge, it appears prefer it’s only a matter of time earlier than the Padres are eradicated from the playoff race, which may additionally deliver an early finish to Manny Machado’s season.
In line with Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, it’s doable Machado could be shut down as a result of recurring elbow issues, particularly the kind of irritation finest often known as “tennis elbow.” That is the second straight season that Machado has handled the harm, and he may go for an offseason surgical procedure that shouldn’t impression his readiness for the beginning of spring coaching.
Whereas tennis elbow doesn’t normally require surgical procedure, it could be essential to lastly resolve an harm that has been bothering the third baseman for the higher a part of two years. “The results just lately are extra frequent and extreme,” Acee writes, noting that Machado has been restricted to DH-only responsibility over his final seven video games. Even in a hitting-only position, Acee hears that “there are specific swings that trigger [Machado] quite a lot of ache.”
The harm hasn’t resulted in any time on the injured listing for Machado, although he did miss a few weeks earlier within the season as a result of a minor hand fracture. Nevertheless, the lingering elbow downside may clarify Machado’s comparatively disappointing season, as he has hit .253/.317/.453 with 26 homers over 545 plate appearances. Whereas nonetheless a 112 wRC+, it’s properly beneath Machado’s requirements, significantly compared to the 153 wRC+ he posted in 2022 whereas ending second in NL MVP voting.
Machado’s efficiency has been certainly one of many elements in a really disappointing season for the Padres, who’re 67-75 regardless of one of many recreation’s highest payrolls and a +73 run differential. With a playoff berth trying like a protracted shot at finest, there wouldn’t be a lot of a price for the Padres in shutting down Machado and getting his rehab (whether or not involving surgical procedure or not) underway as rapidly as doable to get a soar begin on 2024.
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