The San Diego Padres are on a roll as the Major League schedule reaches the final two months of the season. After losing their first game after the All-Star break, the Padres have won 9 of their next 10 games and have climbed within 4.5 games of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. Perhaps even more importantly, the Padres are currently in the National League playoff structure as the No. 2 Wild Card team. They are just behind the Atlanta Braves and slightly ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Third baseman Manny Machado believes that this year's Padres teams has a high level of confidence that the team may not have had in the past.
That belief in themselves was confirmed in the Padres' closing series in July against the Dodgers. The Padres won both home games against their archrivals, and they are baseball's hottest team as they prepare for a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies. Colorado is in last place in the National League West and have the worst record in the National League West. The winning is likely to continue for Mike Shildt's Padres.
Manny Machado believes the Padres are playing at a high level
The reason behind the winning ways is fairly simple. The Padres are getting excellent pitching and timely hitting. They have allowed 0 or 1 run in five of the games in their recent streak, and they have scored 5 runs or more in seven of those games.
“We just want to go out there and compete, and every single night we’re competing,” Machado told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “We’re going out and there and playing our game. We know they’ve got a good ballclub over there. But, you know, we have a good club here, and we’re just trying to worry about our game and not really worry about who we’re playing against. And, you know, I think that’s what’s been the difference. I mean, we’ve had some pretty good teams. It’s just different this year. It’s different.”
The Padres have been getting production throughout their lineup. Outfielder Jurickson Profar is having the best season of his career as he is slashing .305/.395/.490 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI. He joined four other Padres on the All-Star team this year.
Manny Machado is also having a solid year for the Padres as he is slashing .266/318/.431 with 16 home runs and 58 RBI. Jake Cronenworth is right behind Profar and Machado with 14 homers and 61 RBI. Youngster Jackson Merrill has also been a key contributor in centerfield and he has delivered 13 home runs and 54 RBI.
The Padres lineup will get even stronger when superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. returns from a thigh injury that has kept him out since June 24.
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