San Diego Padres star Manny Machado has never been shy about giving credit where it’s due. But after launching a third-inning home run against Giants right-hander Landen Roupp earlier this week, he pointed to an unlikely source of inspiration in the dugout, and specifically Yu Darvish.
After the game, Machado joined Jon Morosi from MLB Network and peeled back the curtain on the moment. The blast, he admitted, wasn’t just about seeing the ball well or sticking to his game plan. It came from a piece of advice Darvish shared before the at-bat.