The Padres’ star third baseman became the fifth active player to reach 2,000 hits with his fourth-inning single off D-backs righty Zac Gallen in Monday night’s series opener at Petco Park.
Machado — who also laced a first-inning single of Gallen for hit No. 1,999 — joins Freddie Freeman, Jose Altuve, Andrew McCutchen and Paul Goldschmidt as the only active players with 2,000 hits.
It has been a year full of milestones for Machado. Last month, he reached the 350-homer mark in San Francisco. Although he celebrated his 33rd birthday on Sunday, he reached both numbers in what’s technically his age-32 season.
In doing so, Machado joined a remarkably exclusive list. Only 11 players in MLB history had reached 350 homers and 2,000 hits in their age-32 season or earlier.
Those 11 players? Eight are Hall of Famers — Hank Aaron, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Ken Griffey Jr., Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Mel Ott and Frank Robinson. The other three are Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols (who are not yet eligible) and Alex Rodriguez.
Machado is in the midst of another excellent season — and last week was named the starting third baseman for the National League at the All-Star Game. His 2,000th career hit was also his 100th of the season, and it raised his batting average to .292, with 14 homers and an .831 OPS.
Machado is the first Padres player to reach the 2,000-hit mark since Mike Piazza in 2006, and he’s the sixth Padre overall. That group also includes Steve Garvey (1983), Graig Nettles (’85), Garry Templeton (’90) and Tony Gwynn (’93).
What comes next? Well, the next major hits milestone is 3,000. Machado has eight years left after this one on his Padres contract. In that span, he’d need to average about 115 hits per season to reach 3,000. Given Machado’s durability, that seems doable.
“Consistency is what ultimately wins,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said recently. “For an individual player to have that kind of career — consistency allows whatever talent you have to come out and be on display. … Manny, from a consistency standpoint, has been very good in his career.”
It will be no easy feat, but Machado appears to be on a trajectory to get there. He might also be on a trajectory to be the next player to get there. The other four active players with 2,000-plus hits are all 35 or older.
After 1,825 games across 14 seasons, Machado is two-thirds of the way there.
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