Manny Machado makes excuses for his hitting less often than he makes errors in the field.
So essentially never.
Machado entered his sixth-inning at-bat Monday night having gone 0-for-3 in the game and hitting .221/.305/.336 in 128 plate appearances at Petco Park, where he has committed to playing for at least five seasons and possibly 10.
On the first pitch of that at-bat, he sent a fastball from JD Hammer sailing over the wall in right-center field for his first grand slam as a Padre and his fifth homer at Petco Park this season.
“My strength has always been hitting the ball to right field,” he said after the Padres’ 8-2 victory over the Phillies.