Padres' Manny Machado Leading Active Players in Unfortunate Category Since 2004

Manny Machado hit a towering shot to center field on Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds and was stopped in his tracks as Stuart Fairchild made a leaping catch over the wall to rob the San Diego Padres third baseman of a home run.

He admired the play and tipped his cap to the center fielder after the game.

“It’s not frustrating, man,” Machado said. “It’s baseball. It’s fun to watch. It was a hell of a play. Just like when I made a nice one there in the ninth.”

The robbery of what would have been a first-inning home run was the ninth time that Machado has been lost out on a homer. He has had more home runs robbed over the past 20 seasons than all but one other player.

“That (expletive) sucks,” Machado said to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Then he smiled.

“It means I’m hitting the ball really hard,” Machado said. “Just getting unlucky. … That’s what happens. It’s my fault for robbing so many people at third base.”

Machado’s drive was longer than all but 13 other outs across Major League Baseball this season and the longest out at Petco Park since 2022.