Watch: Manny Machado Makes Padres Debut in Spring Training Game vs. Giants
For the first time in 2019, Manny Machado took the field as a member of the San Diego Padres on Saturday.
Machado made his highly anticipated Cactus League debut for the Padres against the Giants, starting at third base and batting second during the matchup. Manager Andy Green determined Machado was ready for game action after Friday's workout in Peoria.
“We just wanted to be able to build a progression that worked well for him, make sure that he was moving around the field well,” Green told MLB.com on Friday. “He feels strong. We kept communicating with him every day, tried to plot his course. I feel good about him playing a little bit tomorrow, getting his feet wet in Cactus League play and then moving forward.”
Ahead of Saturday's debut, Machado only needed one swing to hit a bomb during the last round of batting practice.
Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with San Diego on Feb. 19. The four-time All-Star spent the first six and a half seasons of his major league career with the Orioles but was traded from Baltimore to Los Angeles just ahead of the July trade deadline.
Machado hit .297 with 37 home runs and 107 RBIs for the Orioles and Dodgers last season.
