The San Diego Padres have not had the upper hand over the Dodgers in a long time. This season is the right time to go all guns blazing and take the division from the Dodgers. But with recent results, it looks like the Padres don’t really want to take the division. And guess what, the fans are not having any of it. They want to make sure that their voice is heard, and the first person they are pointing their fingers at is Manny Machado.

In a recent video by JM Baseball, they talked about the one guy who needs to get hot, and unsurprisingly, they were talking about Manny Machado. Trevor Plouffe said, “Manny Machado is a guy that needs to pick it up if I’m a Padres fan… I know that in the playoffs he’s kind of been hit and miss… But there’s a different energy when Manny’s going right and kind of, you know, he just feels like the unquestioned leader of that team.”

Manny Machado’s 2025 season has been a puzzle, flashing moments of brilliance but buried under bouts of inconsistency. Once a steady offensive cornerstone, he now looks like a player searching for rhythm in vain. Over the last five games, Machado is 2-for-21 with one homer, three RBIs, and seven strikeouts. His batting line during that stretch speaks volumes, showing just how suddenly production has evaporated when the Padres need him most.

The numbers highlight a troubling trend, with three straight hitless games against Cincinnati and repeated offensive misfires late on. His WPA values reflect negative contributions, including -0.120 and -0.146, dragging his impact down when tight games demanded heroics. In stark contrast, his lone bright moment came in Colorado, where he went 2-for-4 with power. That single flash of production only amplifies how jarringly quiet the rest of his week has been.

San Diego’s broader struggles mirror Machado’s slump, as the team has stumbled to a 3-7 record lately. With their overall record at 79-67 and trailing the Dodgers by three games, urgency now hangs thick in the air. A resurgent Machado could stabilize the offense, bridging gaps left by injuries and inconsistent depth pieces. If the San Diego Padres hope to dethrone Los Angeles, their superstar must rediscover form before October closes its door.

San Diego can talk about depth, injuries, or bad luck, but none of that hides the obvious. Manny Machado is the face, the paycheck, the lightning rod, and the Padres will rise or fall with him. If he doesn’t find his bat soon, the Dodgers won’t even need to look over their shoulders. October waits for no one, and Machado’s spotlight is quickly turning into San Diego’s ticking clock.

Manny Machado is not the only one who has to step up for the Padres

The Padres’ playoff hopes hinge not just on Manny Machado, but also on others rising to prominence. Fernando Tatis Jr., Ryan O’Hearn, and Luis Arraez carry the weight of offensive consistency and clutch production. Each of these hitters has shown flashes of brilliance, yet they’ve also sputtered when pressure reached its peak. If they fail to ignite soon, San Diego’s postseason dreams could evaporate in frustrating, silent innings.

Tatis needs to match Machado’s intensity, transforming sporadic heroics into steady October dominance that fans crave. O’Hearn must conquer struggles with runners in scoring position, turning opportunities into crucial, morale-boosting runs. Arraez, as the leadoff catalyst, cannot afford early-game slumps that cripple the team’s overall momentum. The Padres’ bullpen excels, but without timely hitting, even elite pitching cannot carry them past October obstacles.

If Machado, Tatis, O’Hearn, and Arraez fail to answer the call, San Diego’s October excitement might feel more like a rehearsal than a performance. The Padres have the talent, the pitching, and the stage, yet the script requires consistent hitting to avoid turning into a tragicomedy. Fans are rooting for heroics, not heartbreak, and every at-bat now carries the weight of legacy. In short, the Padres’ path to glory won’t be paved by pitchers alone—these hitters must deliver, or October will write a very different story.