The rivalry between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers has been simmering for years, but lately, it’s reached a full boil. And if you ask Manny Machado, he’s not just watching the Dodgers’ aggressive offseason moves-he’s applauding them.
Machado, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, gave a candid and colorful take on the Dodgers’ latest spending spree, which included landing All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker and elite closer Edwin Díaz. While some Padres fans might wince at the idea of their franchise cornerstone praising the enemy, Machado sees the bigger picture.
“I f***ing love it,” he said during spring training in Peoria, Arizona. “Honestly, I think every team should be doing it.
They figured out a way to do it. And it’s f***ing great for the game, honestly.
I think every team has the ability to do it. I hope all 30 teams could learn from that.”
That’s not just admiration-it’s a challenge. Machado’s words weren’t just about the Dodgers; they were a subtle nudge to the rest of the league, including his own front office. It’s clear he wants to win, and he wants to see his team match that same level of ambition.
Machado knows firsthand what it’s like to be on the other side of this rivalry. He spent the second half of the 2018 season with the Dodgers, helping them win the National League pennant.
Since then, his battles against his former team have been marked by intensity and more than a few fiery moments. But this time, the fire is coming from a place of competitive respect-and maybe a little envy.
Still, the Padres haven’t exactly been sitting on their hands. They made a sneaky-good move of their own by signing Nick Castellanos to a one-year deal at the league minimum.
The two-time All-Star was recently released by the Phillies despite having a year left on his five-year, $100 million deal. Now, he’s headed to San Diego on what could be one of the best value pickups of the offseason.
Machado couldn’t help but crack a smile when talking about the addition-and he gave a playful shoutout to Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller for pulling it off.
“Talk about getting a $20 million player for pennies on the dollar,” Machado said, grinning. “I think that deserves an extension for A.J.
Getting a $20 million player for nothing. That’s a win-win for everybody here in this clubhouse.”
Castellanos arrives in San Diego with something to prove after a rocky ending in Philadelphia, where tensions with team management boiled over last summer following his removal from a game in Miami-with family watching from the stands. Now, he gets a fresh start, and the Padres get a motivated slugger who, when locked in, can change a game with one swing.
So while the Dodgers continue to flex their financial muscle, the Padres are finding creative ways to stay in the fight-and Machado’s message is clear: spend big, spend smart, but above all, compete. Because in this rivalry, complacency isn’t an option.