July 7, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) is congratulated after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – Manny Machado added another milestone to an already decorated career on Monday night, collecting his 2,000th career hit in front of a roaring home crowd at Petco Park. The Padres’ All-Star third baseman became just the 298th player in Major League history — and only the fifth active player — to reach the mark, doing it in classic Machado fashion: with a hard-hit infield single off Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen in the fourth inning.
The crowd rose to its feet as Machado reached first base, tipping his cap to the fans who have watched him anchor the heart of the Padres’ lineup since 2019. The moment came just one day after his 33rd birthday, and the San Diego faithful made sure to let him know it was a birthday to remember.
“It’s special to do it here,” Machado said after the game, echoing the sentiments of Padres fans who remember the last time a player in brown and gold hit this kind of milestone — Mike Piazza, back in 2006. Before that, of course, there was Tony Gwynn, who reached 2,000 hits in 1993 and famously hit 3,000 exactly six years later.
But if you thought Machado was done for the night, think again. He followed up the milestone hit with a solo blast in the eighth inning — his 15th home run of the season and 357th of his career — bringing his total to 2,001. The three-hit performance was a vintage showing from one of the game’s most consistent offensive forces. Since joining San Diego, 951 of those hits have come in a Padres uniform.
Unfortunately, the historic night didn’t end with a win.
Josh Naylor, a familiar face to Padres fans, homered against his former team to help lift the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 6-3 victory. Naylor, who debuted with San Diego in 2019 before being traded in the Mike Clevinger deal, launched a two-run shot off Yuki Matsui in the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie. The D-backs never looked back.
Yu Darvish made his long-awaited season debut for San Diego, allowing two runs over 3 2/3 innings after being sidelined since spring training with elbow inflammation. He struck out five and walked two, earning a warm ovation as he exited.
Despite the loss, the night belonged to Machado. A six-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glover, and now a 2,000-hit club member, Machado continues to cement his legacy — not just as a great Padre, but as one of the premier hitters of his generation.
Next stop? 3,000. Padres fans will be watching.
