Manny Machado made history on a memorable night at Petco Park, reaching a remarkable milestone that few have achieved in the game of baseball. The San Diego Padres’ star collected his 2,000th career hit during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, although the night ultimately ended in a 6-3 loss for the Padres.
It was the fourth inning when Machado’s historic moment arrived. He executed a perfectly placed single off Zac Gallen, slipping the ball barely past shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and into left field. That moment drew a standing ovation from the home crowd, a fitting celebration for such an impressive achievement.
Entering the night just two hits shy of the milestone, Machado wasted no time. He tallied his first hit of the evening in the first inning, hitting a single into left. He followed that up with a powerful solo home run in the eighth inning, marking the 357th long ball of his career.
With this accomplishment, Machado becomes the fifth active player in Major League Baseball to surpass the 2,000-hit threshold and the 297th in the annals of the league’s storied history. Even more impressive, he is now only the 12th player to achieve 2,000 hits alongside 350 home runs by the time they reach their 32nd birthday.
As he proudly dons the Padres jersey, Machado has made an indelible mark on the franchise, tallying 950 hits since joining San Diego as a free agent in 2019. This places him fifth on the Padres’ all-time hits list. Machado first stepped onto the MLB stage with the Baltimore Orioles back in 2012, where he compiled 997 hits before donning the colors of the Los Angeles Dodgers for a few seasons.
In a sport where milestones are revered and celebrated, Machado’s achievement underscores his talent and consistency, solidifying his place among the elite in Major League Baseball. The road ahead looks exciting, and fans can look forward to watching him continue to climb the ranks of baseball’s greats.
