Padres' Manny Machado Reveals True Frustrations Amid Brutal Losing Streak

San Diego Padres All-Star third baseman Manny Machado expressed frustration when talking about the Padres' season-high six-game losing streak and his team's struggles at the plate.

“We’re hitting the ball hard, right at guys,” Machado said. “Obviously, we’re not hitting with runners in scoring position, we’re not getting those runs across. I think we’re fighting our butts off out there in those appearances. (Stuff) is just not (expletive) rolling for us. (Stuff) is not falling. But I like where our bats are. We just gotta keep going. And eventually they’ll (expletive) fall.”

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The Padres have lost six games in a row for the first time this season, and the Padres managed only three runs in the first five losses of the skid. The Padres are slashing .201/.238/.314, well below their season averages of .256/.321/.389. San Diego leads the league with lowest strikeout percentage this season with a rate of 18.9%, but they have struck out at rate of 23.8% during their losing streak.

The Padres didn't score a run through 27 innings from May 18-22, and have slipped to third in their division, three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who they trailed by just half a game on May 14. They currently hold the last NL Wild Card spot, one game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Machado has especially struggled, going 2-for-23 across the six games. His .340 batting average has dropped to .305 in a week. Padres All-Stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill are also having problems at the dish, batting .167 and .174, respectively, during the Padres' duck.

“We’re just having a rough stretch,” Tatis said. “… Guys are putting good at-bats, just, it’s not happening.”

The Friars took a step in the right direction in their loss Thursday, ending their 27-inning scoreless run, and putting together a six-run game in a crushing extra innings loss. They doubled their run total from the previous five games.

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The Padres will finish their road trip against the Atlanta Braves in a series which kicks off Friday at 4:15 p.m. PT/7:15 p.m. ET. Nick Pivetta will take on defending NL Cy Young award winner Chris Sale as the Padres look to break out of their slump.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.