The Padres’ star third baseman has spent the past few days in Miami participating in typical pregame drills. On Tuesday, his batting practices were longer than usual and then reportedly the effects of a broken hand, which led to him being placed on the disabled list, are now very few.
The Padres hope Machado can return at some point during the team’s next stay at home. His presence will provide huge relief to a lineup that has struggled lately. However, his return raises some questions.
1. How about the top lineup?
The Padres have had success lately with Fernando Taites Jr. and Juan Jose Soto second and third in the standings. They kept hitting bullets, but the Tatis-Solo combination was a killer.
“You want to have back-to-back best hitters the majority of the time,” said manager Bob Melvin. “They are very good. We’ll see. It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a while. Once Mane comes back, I think we’ll have a good dynamic.”
When Machado returns, Tatis and Soto will likely remain in those positions, with the third baseman hitting after them.
Will it return Padres’ Xander Bogaerts to the top of the standings, ahead of Tatis, Soto and Machado? Or will they alternate again with Tatesse and Soto, with Machado in second place?
2. What are they going to do with Odor and Dixon?
It seemed unlikely at the time, but Brandon Dixon and Rogned Odur managed to fill Machado’s void to some extent.
The smell was a surprise. 953 OPS since Machado was injured and has become one of the club’s most suitable hitters.
Dixon also contributed, although it will be hard to get a spot on the field with Machado back.
It can be said that the smell gained his playing time. Maybe about Matt Carpenter as a designated hitter.
3. BD function for star rest?
The versatility of scent has become a highly valued aspect. He has spent time at second base, third base, and right field.
Remember, Soto took a break due to a back problem. Boggetts also sat out with a wrist problem. Machado is back from injury.
If the Padres wanted to keep their best players fresh, they might rotate to the designated hitter. Odor’s defensive ability – and Jake Cronworth and Ha Seung Kim – gives the team this opportunity.
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