It’s been another record-shattering week for the San Diego Padres as they dash for the postseason. In the same week, Manny Machado made a major stride to break the Padres’ home run record and Jackson Merill took another step to become the Padres’ greatest rookie.
Last Fridays Game
Machado signed an 11-year extension contract with the Padres last February and he’s put up big numbers since. However, none are as career-defining as the record he tied during Friday night’s 5–1 win over the San Francisco Giants. Machado, on his very first at-bat against Giants pitcher Mason Black, hit a home run to deep left field, his 162nd as a Padre. In the same game, he hit another bomb in the bottom of the fifth. This home run was his 163rd across six seasons as a Padre and tied the record with the current Padres’ all-time home run leader Nate Colbert.
Colbert is a former Padres first baseman who joined the team at their inception in 1969. In his six seasons as a friar, Colbert hit 163 home runs. He is one of the inaugural inductees in the Padres Hall of Fame for his achievements with the team. This includes a five-home run 1972 doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves, a record that’s never been matched since.
Last Wednesdays Game
Machado wasn’t the only one to break a franchise record that week as All-Star rookie Jackson Merill continues to prove his worth. In the fourth inning of their game on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers, the rookie barreled out a three-run home run against pitcher Keider Montero. This brought his RBI count to 82 and crushed the former franchise record of 79 RBI previously held by Benito Santiago. Santiago is notable for winning Rookie of the Year for his accomplishments, being a five-time All-Star and a member of the San Diego Padres’ Hall of Fame. Merill is on the road to eclipsing Santiago, as he’s also very close to breaking the Rookie home run record. An honor currently held by Hunter Renfroe with 26 total homers.
About their respective performances, both players had very different things to say. Merill, who’s also off another Rooke of the Month win for August, said, “I hope somebody next year comes up and breaks that record… we got good young guys in our minor league system…and I trust they can do the same thing.”
Machado, a bit more jovial said, “It’s history, I mean it’s a special accomplishment. Obviously, it’s an honor to be a part of it.”
This week the Padres have their next to last road trip to face the Seattle Mariners and a rematch with the Giants. With the season coming to a close, these final weeks forecast a hard-fought push for the postseason. However, with so much Padres’ history made, it seems likely that trend will follow them into the postseason.
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