"Stop robbing Manny Machado of a NL Gold Glove" - Fans react to Padres superstar's stellar defensive play to retire Justin Turner

By Krutik Jain

Modified Apr 07, 2025 05:33 GMT

MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres - Source: Imagn — Fans react to Padres superstar's stellar defensive play to retire Justin Turner - Source: Imagn

San Diego Padres star Manny Machado may have won his last Gold Glove award in 2015, but the third baseman remains one of the best in the league in terms of agility, speed and cannon arm.

His latest display came in Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. In the fifth inning, Justin Turner hit the ball far away from Machado, but the Padres infielder not only caught the ball but also made a quick release to first base to catch Turner short.

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It led MLB fans to praise Machado even more:

"Then stop robbing him of a NL Gold Glove," one fan wrote.

"And he makes it look easy," another commented.

"He is a special talent!" another said.

The reactions continue to come in for Machado's stellar play.

"That guy’s magic in the field! ⚾️😄" one fan added.

"It’s happened so many times that we have come to expect it from Manny Machado. @Padres," one user mentioned.

"Best 3rd baseman," another posted.

Manny Machado scores twice as the Padres avert series sweep

The Padres entered their series against the Cubs undefeated, but the Cubs had beaten them in two games to shake their confidence. The visitors, though, avoided a sweep on Sunday with a nail-biting 8-7 win.

Both teams scored heavily in the first inning, with the Padres scoring thrice and the Cubs responding with five of their own. The Cubs extended their lead to 7-3 after a two-run inning in the second. The Padres got back those two runs in the fourth and added one more in the fifth.

In the eighth inning, Gavin Sheets slugged a two-out, game-tying single. That was followed by a hit by Luis Arraez, which advanced Fernando Tatis Jr. to second base with Manny Machado coming on.

Machado hit the ball to the right of shortstop Dansby Swanson, with a potential double play opportunity to end the innings. However, Justin Turner couldn't hold on to Nico Hoerner’s throw as Tatis Jr. reached home to win the ballgame 8-7.

Machado appreciated the bullpen, who locked down the Cubs hitters in the second half.

“They locked that down,” Machado said of the bullpen. “They did a tremendous job, man. They picked up the starter today. That was huge for us and kept us in the game -- to keep that game at 7 gives us an opportunity to score some runs and get ahead.”

The win improved the Padres to 8-2, and they are next scheduled to face the Athletics on the road.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Bhargav