Manny Machado criticized the baseball analytics boom, saying it's making the game harder to play. On Friday, Machado told reporters the game is evolving but wishes analytics could be removed.
What's happening with the Padres?
The San Diego Padres are struggling, with a 32-30 record after losing nine of their last ten games. Machado believes the team is playing better than the results suggest.
Manny Machado is having his worst year in the MLB, with a -0.5 bWAR from 60 games. He currently has a .175/.262/.355 slash line and a 73 OPS+, but still leads the team with 11 home runs.
Why is Machado struggling?
Machado's hard-hit rate dropped by seven percent from last season to 44.5%. His flyball rate also fell by nearly seven points to 22.6%, while his groundball rate jumped up by five points to 43.9%.
The seven-time All-Star is confident the Padres will turn their fortunes around soon. “You guys have all been talking about it, have all been negative about everything we’ve been doing, and we already know what we’ve been doing. We haven’t really been playing well. I mean, it’s plain and simple,” said Machado.
What's next for the Padres?
Machado feels the team just needs to stay positive and move forward. “Just got to stay positive and go forward. I think we’re all better than what we’ve been playing. You know, this isn’t going to last for a long time.”
The Padres dropped to third place in the National League West standings following their dreadful run over the past couple of weeks. Machado wants to get rid of modern analytics in baseball because they are making the game more tactical and harder to play.
Machado looks at the board sometimes and asks his teammates about certain stats, admitting he doesn't know half of the stuff that goes up there. “Too many stats, way too many numbers. I don’t even know half of the stuff that goes up there. I look at the board sometimes, and I even ask some of the guys, like, ‘What is WCCVBB, whatever it is? What are these names that are being created?’”
As the Padres look to end their slump, Machado remains confident in his team's abilities. On June 6, 2026, Machado spoke out about the evolution of baseball, wishing for a more straightforward game.
The San Diego Padres need Machado and company to start scoring more runs, as the team is going through a disastrous run at the moment. With Machado leading the team in home runs, the Padres are looking to turn their season around soon.