San Diego Padres infielder Manny Machado has been one of the best and most consistent players of his generation.
You could tell he was going to be a star when he first came up with the Baltimore Orioles in 2012.
For three years, he had more doubles power than true home run pop.
However, in 2015, he matured and morphed into a complete producer capable of playing elite defense, hitting for average, and showing 30-homer power.
Since that 2015 campaign, he has been mostly healthy and has been extremely productive.
When looking at stats from that pivotal 2015 campaign, we see that Machado is actually in pretty good company when it comes to power and speed.
“When the other name is ‘Mike Trout,’ that’s good company for Manny Machado! #Top100RightNow,” MLB Stats tweeted.
When the other name is “Mike Trout,” that’s good company for Manny Machado! #Top100RightNow pic.twitter.com/P82eK8DJXt
—MLB Stats (@MLBStats) February 28, 2023
Since 2015, the only players in baseball with at least 250 dingers and 75 stolen bases are Mike Trout and Machado.
Their career trajectories are somewhat similar.
Trout’s prime was much more impressive, but they both ran a lot in their early years and have slowed down considerably as they approached and reached 30.
Now, home runs are still part of their game, and that makes up for the relative lack of activity on the basepaths.
It’s also a way to preserve and extend their careers.
Trout currently has more power, but Machado is the better defender at his position.
They are two truly elite players who have a chance to win the MVP award in their respective leagues in 2023.
Their teams are lucky to have them, and they both earn well north of $30 million per year.
There is a reason why they are paid so much money: they are both awesome.
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The Padres And Manny Machado Make It Official
