Manny Machado, the star third baseman for the San Diego Padres, is carving out his own corner in baseball history. Just over four weeks ago in San Francisco, he sent a fly ball deep over the left-field fence for his 350th career home run. Now, he’s added another milestone to his impressive resume. This past Monday, Machado reached the 2,000-hit mark, joining an elite group of ballplayers who’ve achieved 350 home runs and 2,000 hits by the age of 33, a club that includes legends like Lou Gehrig and Willie Mays.
In true Machado fashion, he secured his place with a powerful offensive showing against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He opened his day with a first-inning single off pitcher Zac Gallen for hit number 1,999. Then, in the fourth, he smoked a 109 mph grounder, which represented his momentous 2,000th hit. Machado capped the night by sending a ball over Petco Park’s left-field fence, notching his 2,001st hit and 357th home run. Quite the turnaround from the previous night when he went 0-for-4.
Reflecting on the achievement, Machado didn’t sugarcoat the grind it took to reach this point. “It’s hard. It’s hella hard,” he admitted after the Padres’ 6-3 loss to the Diamondbacks. “Trying to get two hits over the weekend or even in a week makes you realize how hard it is. To get one hit in the big leagues, it’s extremely tough, let alone 2,000. That right there, you realize how special it is and how special this game is.”
Now at age 33, Machado is the 95th player in MLB history to reach 2,000 hits by this age, becoming the 18th this century to do so. Intriguingly, among active players with over 2,000 hits, Machado stands out as the youngest, and with an 11-year, $350 million contract stretching through 2033, he might just have the best chance of reaching the magical 3,000-hit milestone.
Machado, poised and steady post-elbow surgery, is batting .293, well above his career norm, and has been a model of consistency, starting every game this season. Further testament to his endurance, Machado has been the MLB’s most frequent starter since 2015. In the upcoming All-Star Game in Atlanta, he’ll earn his seventh All-Star nod, playing third base for the National League.
Teammate Xander Bogaerts lauds Machado’s unwavering dedication to his craft. As Machado keeps churning out hits, the baseball world watches in anticipation, wondering just how high his stats will climb. “I’m going to shoot for 3,000 hits,” Machado declared optimistically. With years left on his current contract, it seems like a goal well within reach.
