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Third baseman Manny Machado and outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. are two of the San Diego Padres' most influential players. The pair has shared the clubhouse at Petco Park since 2019. While Machado arrived as a free agent, Tatis Jr. was promoted from the minor leagues the same year.
Though both players have shown how important they are for their team time and time again over the years, Machado trumps Tatis Jr. in terms of quality, according to former Kansas City Royals All-Star Eric Hosmer. He explained his opinion on Tuesday's episode of the "Baseball Is Dead" podcast.
"Someone asked me the other day, I was doing [a] Royals pregame [show] a month ago, and they asked me Manny [Machado] or [Fernando] Tatis [Jr.]? I'm saying Manny," Hosmer said (46:43). "If you look at the longevity of Manny's career, it's a hundred RBIs every year, it's 30 [home runs] every year. He's done it for 13 straight years.
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"Tatis has talent. If he puts it all together, he can probably put together a better season than Manny's put together. But, in baseball, the fact that Manny's done that 13 years, that's got to play some kind of role into it."
Both Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. earned All-Star selections after strong first half
Having endured heartbreak in the postseason in 2024, the Padres entered the 2025 season with the same goal in mind: to win their first-ever World Series title.
So far, the Padres, who sit second in the NL West and third in the NL wildcard rankings, are on track to make it to the postseason and compete for baseball's biggest prize come October.
Though it has been a great all-around effort from everyone involved, two stars who have stood out are Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr.
As of writing, Machado is batting .302 with 20 home runs and 72 RBIs, while Tatis Jr. is batting .261 with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs. Alongside their production at the plate, the pair have been as reliable as ever in defensive situations. Both players earned All-Star selections this year.
With the most important stretch of the season coming up, fans will be hoping the pair can continue performing as consistently as they have all season.
