Padres' Manny Machado Gets Message of Encouragement From Longtime Rival

The 2026 season has been a very tough one for San Diego Padres superstar Manny Machado.

Machado hasn't found any sense of consistency at the plate this season, and it's starting to become a concerning trend for this team. The Padres have relied heavily on Machado's offense over the years, and without it, this team has been one of the worst-hitting teams in the National League.

Overall, Machado has hit just .172 with 11 home runs and 34 runs batted in, while posting an OPS of .598.

The power numbers have been there for Machado, but he just hasn't been able to consistently put together quality at-bats. His .172 batting average is the worst in MLB among 158 qualified players.

However, it may not all be bad for Machado despite his issues at the plate. Former All-Star Joey Votto, who spent 17 years in the league with the Cincinnati Reds, sent some words of encouragement to Machado amid his offensive problems.

Votto was a model of consistency across his 17-year career, making four straight All-Star teams from 2010-13 and another two in 2017 and '18.

“I remember Derek Jeter starting off one year, I think he had an identical start to Manny, and I just remembered he ran through first base hard, he played hard, he showed up every day,” Votto said. “Manny's always going to show up. I mean, he's at almost 2,000 games played."

The problem for both Machado and the Padres is that the rest of the roster isn't good enough to mask the issues at the plate. This team was built around Machado being a centerpiece, and they need him to be a consistent run producer in the heart of the lineup.

However, Machado has been around for a long time, and it may just be a matter of time before he gets out of the slump. Machado is still a talented player, and the Padres are continuing to work with him to get his swing going.

“At the end of the season, if this is not his very best season, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a failure. It just means that it's another step along his Hall of Fame career," Votto said.

The bigger problem for the Padres isn't just 2026, but the fact that Machado is still owed $39 million each year for the next seven seasons. This means San Diego will be paying the veteran over $270 million during his age 34-40 seasons, which isn't ideal if he's already declining.

All the Padres can do is hope that Machado can turn the season around; otherwise, this contract will become a massive problem sooner rather than later.

The Padres will hope Votto is right, and that Machado starts turning things around for San Diego.

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