SAN DIEGO — Things went from bad to worse for the Padres offense on Wednesday.
Third baseman Manny Machado was diagnosed with a fractured metacarpal bone in his left hand after being hit by a pitch on Monday night. Initial X-rays were negative, but further tests revealed what manager Bob Melvin described as “a small fracture”.
It is unclear whether Machado will require time on the disabled list, and he will be reevaluated on Friday after a day off on Thursday.
“I’m not sure how my body is going to recover,” Machado said. “So you have to take it day by day and see what it is. I hope to come back after this day off and be much better.”
Both Melvin and Machado expressed some optimism that Machado could avoid a trip to the disabled list. Machado, of course, takes pride in his health and hasn’t spent a day on IL since 2014. But he admitted that the nature of this injury is different and a possible trip to IL could be beyond his control.
Machado was hurt when he was hit on the left arm by a Brad Keller slider in the Padres’ win over the Royals on Monday. After missing some time in the game, Machado was recalled and was not in the lineup in Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s losses.
However, in that time Machado reported some notable progress.
“The swelling is very down,” revealed the right-handed slugger. “I definitely have more range of motion.”
This is a real blow for the Padres, whose offense has been in disrepair for most of the year. Machado was among those struggling at the plate. He posted a .231/.282/.372 line in 40 games.
Still, Machado is one of the most feared hitters in baseball when he is at the top of his game. It’s a significant loss for a club that ranks in the bottom 10 in most offensive categories despite high expectations.
“All teams have had serious injuries and casualties,” Melvin said. “We have enough key players to be able to pull this off. We’re not doing it.”
The Padres lost their first two games without Machado against the last-place Royals, including a disappointing 4-3 loss on Wednesday afternoon that left the offense with 12 men on base.
“It’s definitely a tough stretch for us,” Machado said. “I’m definitely trying to help this team win. It’s annoying. It’s annoying. It’s not the norm for us right now.”
