Iron and Bronze: Manny Machado Holds MLB Active Consecutive Game Streak

Baseball’s Iron Man is approaching a rather big anniversary: the 20th anniversary of breaking Lou Gherigh’s streak of 2,130 consecutive game. But that’s a topic for another day. Instead, let’s talk about something that is slightly related: a young Orioles third baseman who is expected to be a standout shortstop currently owns the active consecutive game streak. As of today, Manny Machado’s 127 consecutive games leads the majors.

When you consider Cal Ripken Jr.’s incredible feat, 127 games sounds pathetic. But when you consider it’s Manny Machado we’re talking about, it’s actually incredible news. After all, let’s not forget about this:

Or this:

In fact, let’s not forget, that there was real concern at one point as to whether the young star might ever live up to the amazing potential we saw when he arrived on the scene in 2012, as the Orioles stormed back into baseball relevance. At the age of 23, Machado has had surgery on both his knees. I, for one, was worried that 2015 would result in another freak injury that would endanger his career, and hurt the Orioles’ chances to compete in the near and long term.

Instead, Machado has had a monster season. And only part of that is his health. Let’s start with the back of the baseball card, and move the conversation from there, shall we? As of August 27 (127 games into the season), Machado is slashing .294/.358/.507/.865 with 26 HRs and 64 RBI. Let’s do the fun “he’s on pace…” exercise, and say that he could finish the season with 33 HRs and 81 RBI – all from the leadoff spot.

If you’re into WAR, Fangraphs’ version lists him in the top 10 in baseball (5.3). His wOBA is .372 (league average is about .330) and his wRC+ stands at 138. He has slightly above average K% (15.4%) and BB% (8.9%).

In short, Manny is as hot as his salsa.

And all of this is good news for the Orioles. Machado. In a season where the Orioles have struggled to be anything more than mediocre, I can’t imagine where they would be with another long absence from their leadoff hitter and third baseman. Manny experienced a rough patch with the glove this season (something, as he noted in a particularly “insightful” edition of Dempsey’s Dugout, was due to finally getting his legs under him after his most recent knee surgery), but has quickly atoned for it. Machado makes the hard plays look easy, which occasionally means that he makes the plays he botches look nonchalant, too. Whenever I am inwardly critical of Machado’s effort on the field, I try to imagine how Luis Cruz would feel about such criticism.

OK, let’s get real, here: Machado is never coming close to Cal Ripken Jr. That streak will go a generation before it is even seriously challenged. But his 127 consecutive game streak is a positive sign for the Orioles. It means that, far from being a brittle injury risk, there is a little iron in Macahdo after all. Manager Buck Showalter has one less thing to worry about every night, because he can write Machado’s name in the lineup, and know that he is going to get platinum glove-caliber defense and increasingly impressive offensive output. And there are no signs that this won’t be the case for a very long time.

In a season where so little is going right, that should be music to Orioles fans’ ears.