Manny Machado finished 2022 as the leader in every offensive category for the San Diego Padres. Despite missing time in June with an ankle injury, Machado continued to play through the injury when he returned. The Padres could feel his presence on both ends of the diamond until the end of the NLCS. With his season, the third baseman should be in the discussion for the NL MVP Award. But unlike other players who should are considered, Machado played through a unique situation. Unlike the others, the 30-year-old played most of the season without a superstar teammate. As mentioned, Machado played through injury, and his case for NL MVP goes beyond his numbers.
Suppose it would please the court of public opinion. In that case, this analysis explores why Machado has a stronger case than the St. Louis Cardinals‘ Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado or the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman or Trea Turner.
Manny Machado‘s Case for MVP
The Case is in the Presence
Many fans might often look at a player’s performance at the plate to measure their chance of winning an MVP award. MVPs are not elected this way solely by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWA). Had they been, there would be no need to present a case for any other player. Instead, voters examine how valuable each player is to their team.
Here’s where Machado presents a compelling case for the award, as his case separates him from the rest of the pool of potential finalists. It breaks down as such: Betts, Freeman and Turner are all teammates. The same goes for Arenado and Goldschmidt. Since Machado was without someone like Fernando Tatis Jr., he didn’t have an MVP-caliber player hitting ahead or behind him in the lineup for most of the season. The Padres were sure to complement Machado by getting more depth when they acquired Juan Soto at the trade deadline.
Machado even played a role in helping San Diego reach the playoffs in a full season for the first time since 2006. The Padres defied the odds when they reached the NLCS for the first time since 1998, the last time the Padres reached the World Series. None of this could have happened if Machado didn’t return from his injury earlier in the season.
When Machado injured his left ankle on June 19 against the Colorado Rockies, the diagnosis was a left ankle sprain. In his absence, the Padres went 5-5, including losing three of four to the Philadelphia Phillies, during his absence. This is the first critical thought for his MVP case.
The Case is in the Results
Machado’s 10-game absence is only a sample size. It reflects, however, the difference with and without him in the dugout and on the field. After an Opening Day loss, the Padres won four straight as they went 14-8 in April. In May, the Padres went 16-11 before Machado was out with the injury. Up to that point, the team had gone 11-7 during the month, finishing the month 16-13.
The series lost to the Phillies because Philadelphia was on a roll coming into the playoffs. Both teams met earlier in the season, in May, at Citizens Bank Park as San Diego won two games in that three-game series.
With Machado in the lineup, the Padres won the season series against the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets. These series wins likely would only happen with his presence in the lineup. This is the second critical part of his MVP case. He made the team better just by being there.
Supporting Arguments Against Machado
A case for Manny Machado’s MVP campaign:
Other favorites like Goldschmidt and Arenado had each other. Both had at least 5.8 oWAR.
Freddie Freeman had Trea Turner with 5.0 oWAR and Mookie Betts (4.8)
The Padres’ #2 guy for oWAR was Jake Cronenworth, at 4.3. #3 was HSK at 3.7.
— Nick Lee (@NickLee51) October 25, 2022
It’s no secret that Machado was the best player for the Padres. He is one of the best third basemen in all of baseball too. Machado did this without the Padres’ other superstar infielder, Tatis, Jr., for the entirety of the year since his teammate is currently serving an 80-game suspension that began in mid-August.
Goldschmidt and Arenado followed each other in the lineup. No pitching around one and avoiding the other. In the Dodgers’ lineup, Betts, Turner, and Freeman were a dangerous 1-2-3 combo. Machado played without his younger counterpart.
Imagine, for a moment, that the Padres had missed Machado during a 12-week recovery from his sprained ankle. It isn’t easy to assume the team still wins 89 games without him there. Assuming the team wins 81 games is also unlikely.
Betts missed two weeks in 2022 with a cracked rib, yet the Dodgers won 111 games. Doubters will look to Machado’s .298/.366/.531/.897 quadruple slash line and how it pales compared to Goldschmidt hitting 317/.404/.578/.981. It’s tough to top what Goldschmidt did, but Machado is there with him.
Closing Argument
Explaining Machado’s case for MVP is relatively easy to explain. No mental gymnastics are needed since it’s known that Machado carried the Padres to the NLCS. Altogether, Manny Machado played as the Padres were thin with infield options. The team needed every ounce of Machado with his bat and glove work, even if his numbers took a hit.
Main Photo
Players mentioned:
Manny Machado, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner, Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto
