The 2010 Major League Baseball Draft could go down as one of the best in baseball history as it has produced plenty of studs. Some of the names from this draft include Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale. And one name in that mix as well is Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado.
Machado was the third overall pick of that draft and in playing third base has been compared to former New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for his size, speed, and power. Machado began to show his potential when the Orioles called him up from the minors in 2012. That season Machado would appear in 51 games for the O’s as he batted .262 with 7 homers and 26 runs batted in. In 2013, Machado was selected to his first All-Star team, however things would take a turn for the worse for him on September 23, 2013 when he suffered a knee injury against the Tampa Bay Rays. Machado was jogging to first base when his knee gave out. Machado would undergo reconstructive surgery with the initial diagnosis calling for him to be sidelined for four-six months.
Because of the injury Machado was only be able to appear in 82 games for Baltimore in 2014, but he was still able to help the Orioles win their first American League East Title in 17 years. By 2015, Machado was finally healthy as he was able to appear in all 162 games for the O’s. For the season Machado batted .286 with 35 home runs, 86 runs batted in, and 20 stolen bases and in the process he finished fourth in the American League MVP voting. Machado would keep that trend going in 2016 by hitting .294 with 37 homers and 96 runs batted in to help Baltimore once again make the postseason. And even though that the Orioles lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Toronto Blue Jays last October in the A.L. Wild Card Game, there was still optimism around this club heading into 2017 due to Machado. However this season has been a struggle for the Orioles and Machado alike.
This year Machado is only batting .241 with 18 homers and 53 runs batted in. Baltimore is currently 48-53 as they are 7 games behind the Boston Red Sox for first place in the American League East and 5.5 games behind the Kansas City Royals for the final wild card spot. Machado cannot be blamed for all of the Orioles problems this year, but the fact that he is having a subpar season cannot be overlooked.
Machado’s timing at the plate simply has not been there for the majority of the year. After two months Machado was only batting .191 which was very surprising. And although that Machado has gotten his batting average up to .241, he just has not had the impact that was anticipated when the season began.
And whereas this season appears to be a wash for the Orioles as their current record is 48-53, it is not that far-fetched to believe that the Orioles can begin to prepare for next season which starts with Machado seeking to improve his game.
I don’t believe that it would take too much for Machado to get back on track as making and adjustment in his batting stance could do wonders. Machado has also found himself fishing for pitches that in the past he would lay off of. Machado has been chasing too many breaking pitches this year, while he has been missing fastballs that are right in his wheelhouse over the plate. There is also the possibility that Machado could be the victim of Major League Baseball changing its strike zone which has thrown several players off this season.
But whereas the Orioles have made the playoffs in all of the even numbered years since 2012, while missing out during the odd numbered years, all signs point to them turning it around next year. And if that is the case, Machado will need to be a big part of it which means that he’ll have to regain the form that has made him a three-time All-Star.
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