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Should Fantasy Managers be Concerned With Manny Machado's Slow Start?
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado has gotten off to an uncharacteristically slow start in 2026, going 13-for-70 (.186) with two home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, 10 runs scored, and a stolen base in 88 plate appearances across his first 21 games of 2026. It's still early, but there are some things that fantasy managers should be a bit uneasy about. The 33-year-old perennial All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger winner sits in the 57th percentile in xwOBA, the 28th percentile in xSLG, the 55th percentile in strikeout rate, and the 26th percentile in hard-hit rate in the early going. Additionally, Machado has a weak 5.6% barrel rate. His batted-ball metrics don't look great, but the good news is that Machado ranks eighth in baseball with an 18.2% walk rate, so his plate discipline remains intact as a middle-of-the-order hitter for the Friars. It's still a small sample size, so fantasy managers need to stay patient and hope it's just an early-season funk.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
