Manny Machado, the San Diego Padres third baseman, is facing backlash after comments made at the World Baseball Classic.
Machado’s Comments Spark Controversy
Before the Dominican Republic’s game against the Netherlands, Machado expressed his frustration with the media presence. “Look around, no meetings here, barely any people. They don’t want to wake up early but they’ll roll up asking me questions later. Not a single person here. Don’t come sweating me later,” Machado said.
The comments, made on Sunday morning before the noon ET start in Miami, Florida, drew criticism after a video was posted.
One fan wrote, “Mannys that guy you know or work with that’s always upset about SOMETHING. Sun could be shining outside, perfect weather, and he’s mad about something that happened two weeks ago.”
Another comment stated, “That attitude is why the padres will never win a ring.”
Further comments included:
- “He definitely thinks he’s way more important than he is,”
- “Mannys always worried about everyone except himself,”
- “Such a me guy,”
Machado’s WBC Performance
Machado is participating in the 2026 World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic. The 33-year-old was born in Hialeah, Florida.
In two games in Pool D, the Dominican Republic secured victories, including a 12-1 win over the Netherlands. Machado has gone 3-for-6 with three walks and two runs scored. He also displayed his defensive skills against Nicaragua.
Machado’s Career Achievements
Machado has a career slash line of .279/.338/.486 with an OPS of .824 over 14 years in the majors. He has 369 home runs, 1,144 RBIs and 113 stolen bases in 1,894 games.
His accomplishments include seven All-Star Game appearances, three Silver Slugger Awards, two Gold Gloves and one Platinum Glove.
The Dominican Republic’s next game is against Israel on Monday in Miami.