NL WILD CARD SERIES: PADRES VS CUBS

September 29, 2025

Manny Machado

Wrigley Field

San Diego Padres

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. You guys, your manager, coaching staff, you put a lot of emphasis on details, a lot of preparation a lot of fieldwork, in addition to the other stuff that's got you here. What role has that kind of played with you guys being the team you have over the last couple of years?

MANNY MACHADO: I mean, honestly it's just playing baseball. I think over a long season, or even doing it for years, you kind of forget all the little things. So it's just emphasizing that it's the same baseball game that's been played for hundreds of years. Might be a little harder, a little tougher, strength might be a little higher, pitchers might be throwing a little harder. But ultimately it's about catching the ball, making plays and trying to be the first team to get 27 outs.

Q. As far as like -- Mike manages pretty hard sometimes and puts an emphasis on each game while also respecting it's a long season. But how does that translate in to you guys being prepared for the do-or-die nature of the season?

MANNY MACHADO: Our job is to try to go out there and win. I don't have any intentions of trying to put on a manager hat anytime soon or maybe ever. But our job is to go out there play our best baseball and be prepared, be focused and ultimately just leaving it out on the field.

Q. This is a group that has a lot of postseason experience. How do you hope that helps you this time around in the postseason?

MANNY MACHADO: I mean, sure, I mean, I could hope for a lot of things. But ultimately it's about playing together as a team and committing to winning. And that's all that you could really control. Hope is just hope at the end of the day. Just go out there, play our best baseball, worry about us and just try to leave it out there on the field.

Q. You've had some good success against Matthew Boyd. Will you spend some extra time looking at your at-bats against him in the past? And does any of that really matter in your feeling good when you step up to the plate against him?

MANNY MACHADO: Honestly, yeah, for sure. Definitely going to watch some videos, see what he's been doing lately. Me and Matthew have been going at it for, since 2009, we were on the same U.S.A. team. We go way back.

But at the end of the day, honestly, to be honest with you, it's about competing out there. I know he's going to go out there and compete and do his best. And we're going to be as well prepared as we can. But at the end of the day, just go out there and compete and leave it on the field.

We know he's had obviously a great career, a great season. And we're just going to go out there and try to do our best.

Q. Given how many close ball games you guys have played during the course of the year and having to sometimes go to the small game, and given how these playoff games often go, does that give you guys a sense of confidence, comfort in those type of ball games?

MANNY MACHADO: Yeah, it's watching how games have changed from small game to big ball, to homers, to slug, to OPS, now the big numbers -- OPS, OPS, OPS. Ultimately, I think winning a championship or winning baseball games, ultimately, it's about scoring one more run than the other team.

So however that is -- it could be on a walk, it could be on a home run, yeah, home runs are huge -- but I think the biggest thing it's about scoring one more run than the other team. So however can you do that, whether it's a hit-by-pitch, moving a guy over, being unselfish in an at-bat and getting a guy over with less than two outs for the next guy, I think, the out comes into play. The biggest thing is just about trying to produce as many runs as we can and put ourselves in that situation.

Q. Is there anything you can point to in terms of explaining the discrepancy between your guys' record at home this year and your road record?

MANNY MACHADO: Honestly, couple of these guys in here have asked me, can you please go find out the answer for me because I can't answer that for you; you're going to have to go talk to someone else because I don't even have that answer for you. I think that's more of a media or analytical question, not a baseball player, I think. We just lost, you know?

Q. Is there any difference between home-field advantage do you feel like in the regular season compared to the playoffs?

MANNY MACHADO: For sure. Home field, playing at home always helps out for whoever is playing at home. I think that's a real thing playing in front of your home crowd is nothing better. They give you the energy. Obviously you have your home clubhouse, you have your own facilities, you're sleeping in your own bed. It's just a lot of factors that play into it.

So home field, for sure it is. But play it both ways. But it will be fun to come play here on the road. And I know these fans are great here as well.

Q. It's been since April since these two teams have played each other. The Cubs pitching staff, specifically the bullpen, looks a lot different from when you guys faced them then. How much can you rely on your experience of seeing some of those guys so many months ago versus the preparation you're putting in now?

MANNY MACHADO: I mean, it's a long season. A lot of things have happened. So definitely I can't remember the last time we faced them. Things have changed. Both teams have changed completely both ways. And it's getting back to the drawing map.

And I think ultimately, it's about competing. We've got to go out there and play hard, two good teams playing. Playing our best baseball we could possibly play, and leaving it on the field.

We could be as much as prepared as you want, but I don't know as a competitor once you step onto that field, everything is game, things could change instantly. As much as can you prepare, you've just got to be mentally ready to go out and compete.

Q. Nick Pivetta on the mound for your team in Game 1. He signs in Spring Training, goes on to have the best season of his career. What has stood out to you about he has brought to your group?

MANNY MACHADO: He's been awesome. The type of guy he is, the energy he brings every single time he steps on that mound, it's great. We feed off of it as a team. And ultimately what he's done for us this year has been huge.

So, we have the right guy on the mound to go out there and play behind and go out there and try to secure and put ourselves in the best spot for Game 1.

Q. How would you characterize your time in San Diego, the time (indiscernible) postseason? Could you speak to the group here? Has it been wonderful to be on good teams and get opportunities in October, or has it been excruciating to get here? How important is this year this time for you?

MANNY MACHADO: Obviously when I signed here, we had a vision. And ultimately every team's goal is to win a championship. Obviously we've never had one in the city of San Diego, so that kind of stands up there alone for us as a group.

But Peter and Ron and A.J. have really committed to trying to bring that. We have a great core group of guys who have been together for five, six years now. We continue to add players to fit in well with the clubhouse, do their part.

To get into the postseason back-to-back seasons, it's not easy to do. But it's very fun to grind through a long season and enjoy the ups and downs.

But baseball's not easy. I always say it every single year. It's 162 games. It's a grind. It's not easy at all. So, anytime you could enjoy a celebration to get into the postseason you've got to enjoy it to the fullest; you never know if it's going to be your last. But you've got to enjoy it to the fullest.

And ultimately we have a goal. We have a core group of guys that are going to be here for a long time. And we'll try to reach our goal, which is to bring the championship to the city of San Diego. We have a group of guys that can do it, and now we've just gotta go out there and do it.