Veteran slugger is still as crucial as ever for Padres' success in 2025

After his latest heroic efforts helped lift the Padres over the rival Giants in extra innings, one thing is clear; Manny Machado is still the most important member of the Friars' offense.

The veteran third baseman reached base five times on Tuesday night, going 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs batted in. His clutch two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning allowed the Padres to tie the game, setting up Jake Cronenworth's game-winning RBI single in the tenth inning.

After his seven-game hitting streak ended on May 31st, Machado had been in a 1-for-10 slump over the past three games, but he broke out of it in a big way when the team needed his heroics the most. That is what Machado has done his whole career. He elevates his teams when they need him the most. It's the reason he's earned his reputation as one of the best third basemen in the league.

With all the focus this year being on Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill, Machado's season has flown a bit under the radar. However, it is starting to become clear that the Padres would not be where they are without Machado's efforts.

Machado leads the team with 69 hits and is second with 40 runs scored. He also leads the team with 17 doubles and is second with 29 runs batted in. His 24 walks rank third on the team, as do his seven stolen bases and his seven home runs.

Most importantly, Machado leads the team in all four rate stats. His .315 AVG, .380 OBP, .489 SLG, and .869 OPS all lead qualified Padres hitters. His 2.1 bWAR is second to Fernando Tatis Jr. Across the MLB, he ranks 21st in OPS and 42nd in bWAR, putting him firmly among the 50 best players this season, and making him an easy all-star candidate.

In a year where the Padres have needed all the offensive production they can get, Machado's resurgence has been a welcome bright spot in the lineup. If he can keep this up, he'd enjoy his best season with the Padres since 2022, when he finished second in NL MVP voting.

It can be easy for fans to overlook Machado. He's no longer the shiny new free-agent acquisition that he was in 2019. It's his seventh year with the Padres, and his consistency is easy to overlook, especially when he's not putting up mind-blowing numbers like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. However, he's now over 25 total bWAR in San Diego, and holds a 129 OPS+ across his seven years (better than his 121 OPS+ before joining the Padres).

His latest highlights against the Giants are just another reminder why Manny Machado is crucial to the Padres' success, and why his stardom should not be taken for granted by Padres fans.