Manny Machado led the Dominican Republic to a dominant 12–1 win over the Netherlands under the seven-inning mercy rule in the WBC. However, the buildup to the 2026 tournament saw a tense moment. Machado, who is captaining the Dominican squad, voiced his frustration over the lack of media presence during the team’s morning practice sessions, calling out journalists for not showing up to cover the preparations.

“Look around, no meetings here, barely any people.” Manny Machado said from the dugout. “They don’t want to wake up early, but they’ll roll up asking me questions later. Not a single person here. Don’t come sweating me later.”

This video, which Master Flip posted via @elpaditv on X, is now making rounds all over social media.

Machado feels that the lack of media presence during those sessions limits how accurately the team’s preparation is covered. He also added that reporters who skip the early practices shouldn’t expect the same level of access later when it comes to asking questions or conducting interviews.

The San Diego Padres star also acknowledged the small group of journalists who did make the effort to attend the early practices. According to him, those reporters deserve priority or better access for consistently showing up and covering the team during the tournament.

While some fans agreed with his stance and emphasized the importance of covering practice sessions, others felt the Dominican captain’s comments came across as a bit too blunt toward the media.

But this is not the first time Machado has been unhappy with the reporters.

After the San Diego Padres’ loss to the Chicago Cubs ended their postseason in 2025, he had an exchange with reporter Jake Garegnani. Immediately after the loss, he was asked to analyze the season.

A disappointed and frustrated Machado demanded a better question in return. His approach has earned him backlash then.

For the record, the San Diego Padres have signed Manny Machado to an 11-year, $350 million deal that stretches through 2033. In 159 games, the Padres’ 3B hit 27 home runs and 95 RBIs, slashing .275/.335/.460.

On another note, Machado has ancestral roots in the Dominican Republic. Despite being born in the USA, he chose to represent the D.R. in the WBC.

Manny Machado is proud of his Dominican identity

Manny Machado was born in Florida, in the United States. But his heritage is Dominican, especially since his grandfather is from Las Vegas. Ahead of the 2026 WBC, the Central Electoral Board of the Dominican Republic issued Dominican identity cards to Machado and the team.

They held a special data capture and immediate delivery of new ID cards ahead of the WBC. After Machado received his identity card, he bluntly declared, “Nobody can tell me now I’m not Dominican.”

He has faced some questions in the past about representing the D.R. despite being born in the US. Yet, he will always choose to represent the Dominican Republic, ignoring the background noise.