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SPORTS Thursday 21 February 2019

Padres buzzing over impending arrival of Manny Machado

By JOHN MARSHALL ers still in his prime.
AP Sports Writer The 26-year-old is a four-
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — As time All-Star and two-time
workouts began to wind Gold Glove winner. He’s a
down, word began spread- career .282 hitter with 175
ing across the San Diego homers and 513 RBIs in sev-
Padres’ practice fields at en big league seasons.
Peoria Sports Complex. Machado hit .297 and set
The Padres, a team stuck career bests with 37 hom-
in a 12-year playoff-less rut, ers and 107 RBIs last season
were on the verge of mak- with the Orioles and Los An-
ing their biggest free agent geles Dodgers.
splash ever. Even if San Diego’s brass
Manny Machado, the big- couldn’t talk about the
hitting, slick-fielding infield- deal because it wasn’t fi-
er, was going to be paid nalized, Padres players
$300 million to play for the couldn’t contain their ex-
Padres for the next de- citement.
cade. “It’s going to be very spe-
The news Tuesday put no- cial,” said shortstop Fernan-
ticeable pep in the players’ do Tatis Jr., who is listed as
step for the remainder of the No. 2 prospect in base-
the workouts. ball. “He’s an awesome
“There was definitely a buzz In this Oct. 20, 2018, file photo, then-Los Angeles Dodgers’ Manny Machado (8) hits a single guy, a great player and will
yesterday in the practice,” during the fourth inning of Game 7 of the National League Championship Series baseball game be a great teammate.”
first baseman Eric Hosmer against the Milwaukee Brewers, in Milwaukee. Machado’s addition
said Wednesday. “Toward Associated Press strengthens San Diego’s
the last couple drills, the nymity because the agree- Adding Machado locks years try to get the right foundation for the future,
rumors were getting a little ment was subject to a suc- down the corners of the Pa- guys who are out there at particularly in the infield.
more true that Manny was cessful physical and had dres’ infield at least through that time, but we feel as Hosmer had an under-
likely coming here. The buzz not been announced. the next five years, when a group the pieces that fit whelming first season with
is here and everyone is ex- The second-largest deal in Machado can opt out of short term, long term are the Padres, but two years
cited.” baseball history signified a his contract and become out there and that’s how ago hit .318 with 25 homers
The buzz continued significant shift in direction a free agent again. you build a club.” and 94 RBIs with the Kansas
Wednesday as the Padres for the Padres. “What we’ve talked about The upgrades at the cor- City Royals.
waited for the deal to final- Machado’s deal changes is if the right guys are out ners, along with the young Tatis, son of a former ma-
ize and Machado to arrive expectations. The goal there, guys we feel are a talent already on the ros- jor league player, is con-
in the desert, which could of winning was no longer fit in a long-term plan, we ter, have excited a long- sidered San Diego’s short-
come as early as Friday. something three, four years want to build it as we get suffering Padres fan base stop of the future, though
The Padres agreed with down the road. The Padres going and add the right that’s never experienced a he has played just 2 1/2
Machado on a $300 million, want to win now. piece at the right time,” World Series title nor seen a months above A-ball. His
10-year deal, a person fa- San Diego made a bit of a Padres general manager playoff series victory since major league debut will
miliar with the negotiations splash last season, signing A.J. Preller said. “You can the 1998 NLCS win over At- likely come this season and
told The Associated Press first baseman Eric Hosmer wait for some of the young lanta. he could even crack the
on Tuesday. The person to a $144 million, eight-year talent we’ve built up and Machado gives San Diego opening day roster with a
spoke on condition of ano- deal. maybe in three or four one of baseball’s best play- stellar spring. q

76ers All-Star C Embiid out a

week with sore left knee

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Phila- All-Star game. into anything here,” he
delphia 76ers All-Star cen- Embiid was the No. 3 over- said. “This is an NBA athlete
ter Joel Embiid will miss at all pick of the 2014 draft that has some soreness in
least a week with a sore left and missed his first two sea- the knee, has had an MRI
knee. sons with multiple foot and and we all should move on.
Embiid underwent an MRI knee injuries. We’ll miss him, obviously,
on Tuesday, which re- “It’s reached the stage playing-wise. But it’s not
vealed no structural dam- where he just felt uncom- anything that isn’t com-
age, and he will undergo fortable with it,” Sixers pletely pointed toward
physical therapy until he coach Brett Brown said. keeping him ready and es-
is evaluated again next “It’s a little bit of tendinitis. pecially ready when it mat-
week. It’s stuff I think that’s quite ters most at the end of the
The 24-year-old Embiid is common, actually.” year.”
averaging 27.3 points and Brown said he did not be- The Sixers are 37-21 and in
13.5 rebounds in 54 games lieve the injury was con- fifth place in the Eastern
Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (21) reacts during the second
half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, for the Sixers. He had 10 nected to the All-Star Conference heading into
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, in New York. The 76ers won 126-111. points and 12 rebounds in game. Thursday’s game against
Associated Press 23 minutes in last Sunday’s “Nobody needs to read the Miami Heat.q