"San Diego has been waiting for this all year" - San Diego Padres star Manny Machado delivers message of hope as postseason baseball returns to city after a 16-year wait

Padres star Manny Machado had a National League MVP-caliber regular season. However, amidst all the fanfare on that front, the Padres star never forgot the original assignment that they had before the season began. The team's primary target was to bring postseason baseball back to the city of San Diego.

In the San Diego Padres' 5-3 triumph over the Dodgers in the City of Angels, Machado finished Game 2 of the National League Division Series by going 2-for-5 with a home run and an RBI double under his belt.

After the game, Machado shared his thoughts about the Game 2 victory against his old squad. He also talked about his excitement about the return of playoff baseball to Petco Park.

""It's going to be fun. San Diego has been waiting for this all year." On Friday, San Diego will host a playoff game for the first time since 2006... Manny Machado is excited for it!" - @ FOX Sports: MLB

Machado, appearing in his fifth postseason this year, is hoping to stay hot against their bitter rivals. After all, the slugger isn't particularly known to perform well in the playoffs given his .205/.254/.647 slash line.

Manny Machado's 2022 season

Machado has carried the load for the Padres this year.

With Fernando Tatis Jr.'s injury and eventual suspension, paired with the extended time before the additions of Josh Bell and Juan Soto, Manny Machado single-handedly lifted the San Diego Padres on offense this year.

The six-time All-Star and former All-MLB First Teamer owned a regular season slash line of .298/.366/.897 with 32 home runs, 102 RBIs, and nine stolen bases. The 30-year-old, along with stable pitching from the San Diego Padres pitching core, have pushed the team to a 83-win season and a massive Wild Card upset over the 101-win New York Mets team.