With a successful road trip now in the rearview mirror, the Los Angeles Dodgers returned home on Monday for the start of a four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The opening contest most notably marked Manny Machado’s Dodger Stadium debut, over two weeks after the club acquired him from the Baltimore Orioles during the All-Star Break.
Fans around the ballpark showered Machado with loud cheers and a standing ovation in his first inning at-bat, while others celebrated his arrival with “Mannywood 2.0” shirts and signs in the stands.
Machado caught a glimpse of the shirts during the game and was appreciative of the overall reception from Dodgers fans, as seen on SportsNet LA:
“That’s pretty cool. Pretty cool. I’m not going to lie. It was awesome.”
Machado further praised Dodgers fans for their support, highlighting the ovation he received as a moment he’ll never forget:
“Like I said, since day one, since I got here, everyone has been very welcoming. It’s been amazing. Come out there, get a nice ovation my first at-bat, it never gets better than that. You know, those are always moments you never forget.”
While the Dodgers wound up dropping the opener, 5-2, Machado still enjoyed an excellent night at the plate. He reached base safely three times, scoring both of Los Angeles’ runs while additionally slugging his second home run with the club in the ninth inning.
In 11 games with the Dodgers, Machado is hitting .304/.418/.500 with four extra-base hits and five RBI over 55 plate appearances.
Prior to first pitch, the club announced it would further honor Machado with a bobblehead night that will take place on Sept. 22 against the San Diego Padres.
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