A Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher called Manny Machado one of MLB's best players after facing him in their first series in 2025.

A little more than three years have passed since Miguel Cabrera, an all-fields slugger Machado studied closely, became the 33rd and most recent player to enter the 3,000-hit club. Freeman and Altuve, with perhaps a handful more seasons, could approach elite territory around their 40th birthdays — an age that tends to bring plummeting effectiveness.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado feels good about his team's chances moving forward, even after enduring a tough stretch.