Manny Machado's midseason surge: How he's turning around his 2026 campaign

Manny Machado is finally showing signs of life at the plate after a frustrating start to the 2026 season. Since June 20, the Padres third baseman has slashed .307/.380/.689 with seven home runs in 89 plate appearances, a stark contrast to his .174 average and .604 OPS before that date. The resurgence comes at a critical time for San Diego, which sits last in the Majors with just 379 runs scored.

What changed for Machado?

Machado’s turnaround began with a three-run homer in extras against the Rangers on June 20, followed by a solo shot in a 1-0 win over the Braves two nights later. His walk-off hit against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias the next day capped a 96-hour stretch that seemed to flip a switch. Since then, he’s been one of the hottest hitters in baseball, ranking third in the Majors with a 1.069 OPS.

How is he doing it?

Machado’s success stems from a fastball-centric approach. He’s batting .450 with a .925 slugging percentage against fastballs since June 20, cutting his whiff rate on them from 23.5% to 16.0%. However, this has come at a cost-his whiff rate on non-fastballs has jumped to 43.9%. Despite the tradeoff, the strategy is working for now, as he’s making pitchers pay for mistakes over the plate. His slugging percentage on pitches in the heart of the zone has skyrocketed to 1.258, second only to Luis García Jr. of the Nationals.

What’s next for Machado and the Padres?

With the trade deadline approaching, Machado’s resurgence could sway the Padres’ decision-making. If he maintains this form, San Diego might shift from seller to buyer, as they haven’t been at the deadline since 2019. For Machado, the goal is simple: keep the momentum going. His launch angle has climbed from 11 degrees to 13, reducing his ground-ball rate on pitches in the zone from 40.5% to 14.3%. If he can sustain this adjustment, the Padres’ offense might finally start to click.