MLB insider reports Padres $350,000,000 Manny Machado underwent elbow surgery, slated to start next season's opening day
San Diego Padres star Manny Machado reportedly underwent surgery to repair the torn tendons in his right elbow after playing through pain for much of the last two months of the regular season.
Machado's output was severely hampered due to his elbow issue as the six-time All-Star was used primarily as a DH by the Padres in their pursuit of a playoff spot.
The veteran infielder delayed his surgery to help the side push for a postseason berth, but with the Padres failing to make it to the playoffs, Machado underwent surgery on Tuesday.
The news of Machado's successful surgery was brought to light by senior MLB insider Héctor Gómez. He posted the news via his X (formerly Twitter) account:
"SOURCE: Padres star Manny Machado underwent successful elbow surgery today in San Diego."
Manny Machado's recovery timeline hints at opening day start next season
The Padres boasted one of the highest payrolls in MLB, rivaling that of the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. But they did not perform to their capabilities as a horrible stretch in May saw them pegged back significantly at the start of the season.
Even though San Diego managed a brilliant winning streak during their postseason push, winning 12 of the last 14 games, it wasn't enough to seal a playoff berth.
According to NBC's Darnay Tripp, Machado will need around 4-6 months to recover, which means that the former Los Angeles Dodger is likely to miss spring training.
However, the good news for the Padres fans is that the timeline of his recovery suggests that the star third baseman will be healthy to start for the team at the start of next season.
While plenty of changes are expected in San Diego after a disappointing year, Machado is likely to retain his place in the side after signing a long-term $350,000,000 contract earlier this year.
"We did what we were supposed to do, but a little too late," Machado said. "We're going to grow from this. ... We're capable of playing better baseball than we did this year."