Manny Machado is having a career year

The San Diego Padres third baseman/right fielder has been one of the most valuable players in all of baseball this season. If Tatis is on the shelf, there's a path for Manny to get MVP consideration.

I’ve talked and written plenty about Fernando Tatis Jr. being the frontrunner for the NL MVP award this season, and it’s still true. But, if his season ends sooner than later with a decision to have shoulder surgery, the Padres have another candidate that could potentially win it. It’s their 300 million dollar man, who is quietly having one of the best seasons in his already-great career.

With the stick

Manny Machado currently has an OPS+ of 145, which is quite high considering he spent about half of the season playing through a shoulder injury that sapped his power.

It’s such a high number that Machado has had an OPS+ of 145 exactly two other times in his eleven years in the league: In the year before he hit free agency and in last season’s 60-game season. And he’s been getting better as the season goes along…

That’s a truly spectacular July from Manny. It’s unfortunate that the team didn’t capitalize on that performance with a better record, but there’s still time because he’s still hitting the crap out of the ball.

Basically, this is about as good as Machado gets when it comes to offense. It’s not quite as good as some of the top hitters in the league, including Tatis, but we’re looking at the whole package here.

With the glove

This is where things will get a little murky. Machado has been incredibly valuable for the Padres defense this season, partially due to him playing short right field against left-handed hitters while playing third base against right-handed hitters.

The problem with that is that it’s new. Nobody has ever played third base, or any position, like that. Machado is basically a roving defender who goes where his team needs him the most, and we have no real idea how to evaluate that. At least not with traditional stats.

The Padres shift more than just about any team than baseball and they do it more efficiently and effectively than just about any team in baseball, and that’s pretty much all Machado. It’s one of those things that baseball writers understand and take note of, even if it doesn’t really show up in the stat sheet.

(It’s worth noting that Machado has been his typical, brilliant self when playing third base. I find it in-cred-i-ble that Machado has only two Gold Glove awards while being one of the two best defenders at the position his entire career. The fact that he’s lost that award to Kyle Seager and Evan Longoria is a crime against nature. This is where I should note that there are a lot of baseball writers that do not love Manny and that could hurt his chances.)

With the team

The problem with Manny’s value is that it’s so difficult to quantify. He’s playing defense like nobody has ever played defense, so we don’t really know how to evaluate it. And he’s become the unquestioned leader of a young team, which undoubtedly has value.

He’s been there to pick guys help, or welcome the new guys in, and he’s the one who brought the Swag Chain into the dugout (a move that has been copied by half of the other teams in baseball).

Being MVP is about doing the big things (hitting and fielding) and the little things (inventing new defensive positions, being a team leader, coming through in clutch situations, etc.). As of right now, Manny is doing all of those things. He just needs the team to come along for the ride, because he won’t be the MVP if his team has a disappointing season.

The only way it happens

Now, if being a team leader has value, it can also be a knock against him with a team that seems to have a hard time getting up for any game that’s not against the Dodgers.

Unlike Tatis, Machado’s MVP candidacy is going to be directly tied to the success of the team over the next two months. If the Padres go on a run without Tatis, with Machado playing great offense and defense and being the team’s leader, he will have a case to make. If the team doesn’t go on a run, or Tatis comes back and plays well, then this is nothing but another great season in Machado’s career.