The San Diego Padres announced on Tuesday that their star third baseman Manny Machado underwent elbow surgery to address a lingering extensor tendon issue.
According to the Padres, the procedure is expected to sideline Machado for four to six months. The timeline puts him on schedule to return to action in time for Spring Training.
Machado has been dealing with a right elbow injury for the past two seasons but played through it. However, the issue got worse as the 2023 season was winding down, forcing the Padres to relegate Machado to a designated hitter role.
Machado confirmed in September that the plan is to have the surgery once the team wraps up its 2023 season. The Padres were in the hunt for a playoff spot to the very end of the regular season but ended up finishing with 82-80 and missing out on the last NL wild-card spot.
“We were trying to avoid it as much as we can,” Machado said in September. “But unfortunately [the injury] has just put us in that situation. And you know what? It’s probably going to make me better, going to make us all better. Just get it done, get ready for next year, come back, and be healthy.”
Manny Machado inked an extension with the Padres in the offseason, signing to an 11-year, $350 million deal. He played 138 games in 2023, finishing the campaign with a .258 batting average, 30 homers and 91 RBIs.
