“He will be out for 4 to 6 months.”
San Diego Padres star Manny Machado (31) underwent right elbow ligament replacement surgery. The Associated Press reported on the 4th (Korean time) that Machado underwent surgery performed by Dr. Neil Elatrace in LA. He revealed that rehabilitation would take between four and six months.스포츠토토
Machado signed an 11-year, $350 million (approximately 475 billion won) extension contract ahead of this season. However, in his first season, he was unable to perform to his full potential due to elbow pain. In 138 games, he has 140 hits in 543 at-bats, a batting average of .258, 30 home runs, 91 RBI, 75 runs, and an OPS of 0.781. It wasn’t a bad performance, but it fell short of Machado’s career average.
When Machado was unable to play due to elbow pain, Ha-seong Kim transformed into a third baseman to fill the void, but he was unable to completely cover Machado’s offensive power. Machado has a strong image among domestic fans as a star who cherishes Kim Ha-seong, but for San Diego, the health of their star hitter, who will be with them until 2033, is very important.
In the end, Machado underwent surgery right after the season ended. If rehabilitation is completed in 4 months, normal batting training will be possible starting in February, but if rehabilitation is required for 5 to 6 months, in the worst case, the 2024 season may begin on the injured list.
“He will miss the start of the 2024 season and could potentially be ruled out until some point in April,” Bleacher Report said. “The Padres could look a lot different by the time Machado returns. “The future of coach Bob Melvin and general manager AJ Preller is uncertain,” he said.
If Machado does not return in early April, he will miss the official opening two-game series of the 2024 season against the LA Dodgers, scheduled for March 20-21 next year in Seoul. For domestic fans, this is a lost opportunity to see one of the major league stars.
Of course, Bleacher Report said, “The Padres will certainly have talent even if they start the season without their star third baseman. “A team consisting of Machado, Juan Soto, Xander Bogaerts, Yu Darvish, and Joe Musgrove will still be the envy of many teams.”
