Padres make decision on Manny Machado’s availability to start 2024 season

The San Diego Padres will have an earlier start than most to the upcoming season. The Padres play the Los Angeles Dodgers next week in the Seoul Series to open the 2024 season. Both teams will travel to to South Korea for a two-game set as Major League Baseball continues their intensified efforts to grow the game outside of the United States.

But Manny Machado will not be starting at third base for the first two games of the Padres' season. In fact, it may be a while before Machado returns to the hot corner. The Padres star has been throwing in camp, but his activities have been limited following offseason elbow surgery.

But Machado won' t be absent from manager Mike Shildt's lineup card altogether. Though the procedure has slowed Machado's ability to play defense, he can still swing the bat. Pads fans will see Machado in his usual spot in the batting order, but he'll be acting as San Diego's designated hitter to begin the 2024 season.

Padres make decision on Manny Machado’s availability to start 2024 season

The Padres have yet to decide who'll take over at third base for Machado during the early going, but the competition has been intense this spring. After seeing Matthew Batten optioned back to the minor leagues on Monday, the race for an Opening Day roster spot has narrowed quite a bit.

Graham Pauley, Eguy Rosario, and Tyler Wade have all thrown their name into the hat. It'll be up to Shildt to decide who gets the call the next week. Both Pauley and Wade were non-roster invitees to camp, and Rosario still has minor league options remaining.

Machado had a bit of a down-year in 2023 by his lofty standards. Last season, the 31-year-old, who came within an eyelash of winning the 2022 NL MVP, hit .258/.319/.462 with 30 home runs, 91 RBI, and a wRC+ of 114.

Without Juan Soto in the lineup, the Padres are going to need a big effort from Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and others if the Friars hope to return to the postseason in 2024.