San Diego Padres: Manny Machado creates Big 3 in City of Motion

Manny Machado’s decision to sign a 10-year deal, worth $300 million with the San Diego Padres brought life to a city that has struggled to have any success of late.

Machado brings positive buzz around the Pads and the Friars are now a team to deal with when it comes to high profile free agents.

As far as on the field performance, San Diego should be a playoff team in the next handful of years.

A lot depends on whether or not the Padres young players can grow and handle the pressure that comes with being in the race for a postseason spot.

Manny Machado joins a nucleus that also includes first baseman Eric Hosmer and outfielder Wil Myers, thus creating a Big 3 in San Diego.

It’s significant to see the trio together because Myers and Hosmer are coming off of less than stellar 2018 seasons and if they can produce the way they used to than the Pads could compete for an NL West title sooner rather than later.

Sure they’re only three players and the Friars need others to step up and perform at a higher level than in past year, but the Machado-Hosmer-Myers combo eases the stress on younger players trying to make a name for themselves and also gives free agents the thought that winning a championship with the Pads could be a reality.

Manny Machado had 37 homers a season ago as he split time with the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Myers posted 58 homers in 2017 and 2016 before dealing with injuries in ’18. He also knocked in 168 runs during ’17 and ’16.

Hosmer had a career-best 104 RBIs in ’16 and earned his first and only All-Star nod that year. The former Kansas City Royal played in every regular season game in 2017 and at least 157 games the past four seasons.