{"id":119266,"date":"2025-08-04T22:24:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T22:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/119266\/"},"modified":"2025-08-04T22:24:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T22:24:13","slug":"tatis-machado-merrill-on-2025-rituals-ghosts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/119266\/","title":{"rendered":"Tatis, Machado, Merrill on 2025, Rituals & Ghosts"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Padres were supposed to be a mess this year. But thanks to an unstoppable start<\/a>, star power veterans, and some of the best young talent in the league<\/a>, this has been a season to binge. When it comes to a World Series run<\/a>, fans may still sometimes feel like cats in a room full of rocking chairs, but we\u2019re glued to the show, and the Pads are packing Petco. It\u2019s been a hell of a carnival.<\/p>\n

After a 2024 season that crescendoed into the playoffs with the highest of high drama, only to end in a whimper<\/a>, the team entered 2025 under a storm cloud. In the aftermath of beloved owner Peter Seidler\u2019s death<\/a>, the club\u2019s front office had started to resemble a Succession spinoff. Lawsuits, power struggles, mysterious silence from the top\u2014the vibes seemed cursed, unbefitting men of the cloth. 2025 appeared doomed to play out like a tedious hangover.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

But, somehow, they kicked down the doors. The team opened this season 5\u20130, then hit 13\u20133, then went nuclear with a 11\u20130 home streak<\/a>. Suddenly, this team that was supposed to be in a rebuilding phase became MLB trivia fodder: best start in franchise history, first team since the \u201966 Indians<\/a> with six shutouts in 16 games. And as of press time, the team leads the league in shutouts with 13.<\/p>\n

Manny Machado<\/a> has been Manny Machado. He smacked his 350th career homer, got his 2,000th hit, and was voted starting third basemen for the NL All-Star team<\/a>. Elite. Jackson Merrill<\/a> is building on his legendary rookie campaign and has committed his career to the Padres, signing on to a nine year, $135 million contract<\/a> extension. Fernando Tatis Jr.<\/a> started the season playing at an MVP level and was rewarded with a trip to his third All-Star game. Relievers Jason Adam and Robert Su\u00e1rez are also headed to the Midsummer Classic.<\/p>\n

And the city is showing up like it\u2019s 1998 all over again. Petco is packed tighter than the 8 East at rush hour. It\u2019s Mission Beach on the Fourth of July every home game\u2014beach balls flying, swagger in the stands. SD is ranked third in the league for overall attendance<\/a> this year. You\u2019d think a fanbase that\u2019s been through recurring heartbreak<\/a> and an ownership system error might back off. Instead, they\u2019re louder and more eager than ever.<\/p>\n

This season shouldn\u2019t be happening. But here we are, with a team worth celebrating. The Padres<\/a> are chaotic, occasionally frustrating, and eminently watchable. SD didn\u2019t merely get a solid baseball team this year. We got prestige programming. Now we just need that deep playoff run.<\/p>\n

\"SanPhoto Credit: Matt Furman<\/p>\n

Q&A with Manny Machado<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve had an electric start this season\u2014the best in team history. What changed?<\/p>\n

I think it was kind of just a little bounce-back from last year. We had such a good year, but we fell short. So we really wanted to start this season on the right foot. That\u2019s all we were talking about during spring training: \u201cHow can we be better than last year?\u201d Once we got back to Petco and felt the energy of the fans and the city, we just hit the ground rolling.<\/p>\n

Where do you like to eat around town?<\/p>\n

I love pizza, so I go to Garage [Kitchen + Bar in the Gaslamp<\/a>]. That\u2019s one of my favorite spots. I keep it simple\u2014pepperoni or cheese. Barbusa [in Little Italy<\/a>] is another. The hospitality there is unreal. I\u2019ve gone three times and haven\u2019t even looked at a menu\u2014they just send food out. Everything they bring is awesome. The Henry [in Coronado<\/a>] is the same way\u2014great people, great energy. I\u2019ve always been that guy who sticks to a few good places.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your pregame routine like? Any rituals?<\/p>\n

I always listen to music. We\u2019ve got a solid playlist in the clubhouse\u2014Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Bad Bunny, Rick Ross. That\u2019s the rotation.<\/p>\n

Do you have a go-to pregame meal?<\/p>\n

Coffee. Always a latte. I make it at home. I\u2019ve been working on my latte art. Sometimes it looks like a flower; sometimes it just looks like\u2026 something.<\/p>\n

Do you have a guilty-pleasure snack?<\/p>\n

It used to be Skittles, Goldfish, Cheez-Its. I\u2019ve cut most of that out. But McDonald\u2019s? That\u2019s the one I can\u2019t give up.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Have you ever had one of those surreal, slow-motion moments during a game?<\/p>\n

Definitely. Big homers tend to do that. The walk-off we had here last year.<\/a> A walk-off against the Giants. My three-homer game<\/a> in Baltimore\u2014my third was a grand slam. It\u2019s like everything just slows down. You instantly know what\u2019s going to happen. It\u2019s kind of crazy.<\/p>\n

If you could play catch with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?<\/p>\n

Roberto Clemente. Not just for what he did on the field, but to pick his brain about what he did for Puerto Rico and the community. What he did was special. He influenced so many of us.<\/p>\n

Are ghosts real?<\/p>\n

Yeah. I\u2019ve seen one. It was actually my grandfather, at my house. Not haunted or anything\u2014just him saying hello.<\/p>\n

\"SanPhoto Credit: Matt Furman<\/p>\n

Q&A with Jackson Merrill<\/p>\n

You guys came out blazing this season. What made the start so strong?<\/p>\n

We wanted to hit the ground running. We didn\u2019t want to be lackadaisical out there\u2014we wanted to be dominant. Just play good baseball together, the way it\u2019s supposed to be played.<\/p>\n

What do you like to do when you\u2019re not at the ballpark?<\/p>\n

I like to drive around, go shopping a little, go to the beach. Mission Beach<\/a> is fun. There are arcades and a roller coaster<\/a>\u2014I haven\u2019t ridden it yet, but that\u2019s my next stop. And, honestly, just walking around. It\u2019s beautiful every day, so that\u2019s one of the best parts of the day.<\/p>\n

Where do you like to walk?<\/p>\n

I live downtown<\/a> right now, but we\u2019re moving soon\u2014undisclosed. My girlfriend likes to walk to Seaport Village, so I follow her sometimes. But anywhere downtown is fun. It\u2019s always active. Good to see people out.<\/p>\n

Is there something you crave when you come back to San Diego after a road trip?<\/p>\n

Tacos El Gordo<\/a> is always open, like until 2 or 3 a.m.<\/a>, so if I\u2019ve got cravings, I go there. But I go to Barbusa in Little Italy the most. That\u2019s my spot. Really good Italian food\u2014and really good people. I get the vodka pasta, but I throw chicken in there to spice it up. The appetizers are unbelievable\u2014 lamb chops, meatballs, bone marrow. I wouldn\u2019t say there\u2019s a bad appetizer on the menu.<\/a><\/p>\n

Any other favorite spots?<\/p>\n

Lucky\u2019s [Lunch Counter<\/a> in] downtown is a good breakfast spot<\/a>. That\u2019s more of a day game thing, since most of our games are at night. Sometimes I get the burrito, but I also go for the Lucky\u2019s Special\u2014kind of an American breakfast with a pancake on the side. The pancakes are really good.<\/p>\n

Any guilty-pleasure snacks?<\/p>\n

I used to mash Hot Cheetos. But they messed my stomach up one time, and I\u2019ve been off them ever since.<\/p>\n

Are there any pregame rituals that have zero impact on your performance\u2014but you still do them?<\/p>\n

I play darts against our hitting coach, Pat O\u2019Sullivan. Only when we\u2019re home. I play every day before the game. Last year, it was back and forth. This year, I\u2019ve been kind of getting beat a lot.<\/p>\n

Have you ever had one of those moments when time slows down on the field?<\/p>\n

Definitely the playoffs last year. Everything just moved so slow. The Wild Card games<\/a> felt super long, but really they weren\u2019t. I was just soaking it all in. It made the game more fun\u2014and easier to play, too.<\/p>\n

If baseball had a penalty box like hockey, what would get you in there?<\/p>\n

Charging the mound. I feel like there\u2019d be more fights if there were penalty boxes instead of ejections. Like, instead of getting tossed, maybe you just miss your next at-bat. That could work.<\/p>\n

If you could play catch with anyone\u2014living or dead\u2014who would it be?<\/p>\n

Dustin Pedroia<\/a>. He\u2019s been my favorite player since I was a kid. And he\u2019s still alive, so maybe one day I\u2019ll get the chance.<\/p>\n

Are ghosts real?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never had an encounter, but I feel like they\u2019re out there somewhere. So, yes.<\/p>\n

\"SanPhoto Credit: Matt Furman<\/p>\n

Q&A with Fernando Tatis Jr.<\/p>\n

The Padres are off to the best start in franchise history. What\u2019s made the difference this season?<\/p>\n

Everybody\u2019s been committed since before spring training. Even in the offseason, we were communicating\u2014checking in, talking about how we were getting ready. Then, we came in and clicked right away. Our manager<\/a> has done a great job bringing us together. It feels more like a family this year. Really good, organic communication. That\u2019s been the biggest thing.<\/p>\n

When you get back to San Diego after a road trip, what\u2019s the first thing you want to do?<\/p>\n

I always eat at home. But just landing in San Diego\u2014the air hits different. It\u2019s refreshing. There\u2019s nothing like it.<\/p>\n

Where do you like to eat around town?<\/p>\n

I never really had the chance to go out much over here. But I like Tacos El Gordo. I don\u2019t go there\u2014they bring it to me. I eat all of it: birria<\/a>, carnita de res, pollo.<\/p>\n

Do you have a go-to pregame meal?<\/p>\n

Whatever I bring from home. I\u2019m not picky. I just go with the flow. My aunt comes from the [Dominican Republic] and stays with me\u2014she cooks for me.<\/p>\n

What do you do on your days off? Where do you go to unwind?<\/p>\n

I like to take drives. Sunset Cliffs<\/a> is one of my favorite spots. And where I live, there are a lot of trails.<\/a> I always walk. A lot of flowers, a lot of fruit along the way. It\u2019s always beautiful.<\/p>\n

Do you have any superstitions or rituals before games that probably don\u2019t help, but you do anyway?<\/p>\n

I drink coffee. I like a cappucino. No sugar.<\/p>\n

Where do you get it? Any favorite shops in town?<\/p>\n

Honestly, I just say I want coffee and someone shows up with it. It\u2019s hard to just walk out and go get one. I try to stay low-key outside the stadium. I feel\u2026 cringey. Not for me, but for the people around. They\u2019re like, \u201cWho\u2019s this guy? Why are people asking for photos?\u201d And I\u2019m just like, \u201cGet me out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

If sports didn\u2019t exist, what would you be doing instead?<\/p>\n

Living on an island. Spearfishing<\/a>. Hiking. With my cows.<\/p>\n

Do you surf?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not supposed to.<\/p>\n

PARTNER CONTENT<\/p>\n


\n \"Joven
\n Joven Golden Hour Tour With Bebemos & Happy Half Hour
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\n \"Summer
\n Summer Escapes Guide 2025
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When was the last time you did?<\/p>\n

Before spring training, in the [Dominican Republic]. I got two boards this season from Rob Machado<\/a>\u2014really appreciate that. He made them here in San Diego.<\/p>\n

Are ghosts real?<\/p>\n

Definitely real. I\u2019ve seen one. Back home\u2014and in Milwaukee. The hotel there is haunted. I heard stuff, and in the shower, words came out in the fog on the mirror. That happened to me.<\/p>\n

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