SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado left Saturday’s 1-0 victory against the Atlanta Braves with a cramp in his right calf following an at-bat in the fourth inning.
Machado cramped up while swinging at a pitch from Spencer Schwellenbach. He then fouled off a pitch and hobbled out of the batter’s box. Machado was checked by an athletic trainer and finished the at-bat, flying out to right field.
He was replaced by Jose Iglesias in the top of the fifth.
Machado said he expects to be able to play in Sunday’s series finale.
“I think Shildty did the right thing there, kind of just taking me out and precautionary stuff and not letting it maybe be something worse,” Machado said, referring to manager Mike Shildt. “It was just a little cramp. I’ve felt stuff like that before. It’s not a big deal. It’s nothing too concerning, for sure.”
Said Shildt: “He cramped up and the cramp stayed with him. It got to the point where it didn’t make any sense to stay with him. I saw him in the congratulatory line and he had a big smile.”
___
AP MLB:
