PEORIA, Ariz. -- In six years covering Manny Machado (and Saturday marked the six-year anniversary of his introductory press conference), I have asked him dozens of questions about various injuries. There's no player who likes talking about that stuff less. 

Invariably, Machado will respond with some version of this: "No one is ever 100% during a baseball season." And he's not wrong. Machado tries to make it clear that every player deals with something. He seems to view that struggle as an enchanting part of baseball -- one that ought to be appreciated more. But he also views talking about those injuries -- even mentioning them -- as excuse-making.

That's unfair. Particularly on Machado himself. It's not just that he hasn't been 100% over the past two seasons. It’s that he hasn't really been close.

Machado played through agonizing pain in his right elbow for the entirety of the 2023 season. It was diagnosed as tennis elbow. That offseason, he underwent surgery, which included a recovery timetable that lasted into the '24 season. He began the year at DH, then had to manage his workload at third base.

Machado began to feel better in the second half. But not 100%. (No one ever is.) Except ...

Last week, on the day the Padres held their first full-squad workout, Machado spoke with reporters and was asked when he last felt 100%. He smirked and said, "Today." 

He paused and smiled even wider.

"And then it's back to not being at 100," he said. 

Whatever the percentage figure on Machado's health after one week of camp, he's clearly in a better place than he was in both 2023 and '24. Which is a scary thought because Machado averaged 30 home runs with a .790 OPS across those injury-plagued seasons.

In 2022, meanwhile, Machado dealt with a serious left ankle injury he sustained while stepping awkwardly on first base that June. He received constant treatment throughout the second half, but played through it and posted an .898 OPS and 6.7 bWAR while finishing second in MVP voting.

So what does a healthier -- not 100%, but healthier -- version of Machado look like?

Well, Friday looked pretty darn good. On the first pitch Machado saw this spring, he mashed a 428-foot home run halfway up the batter's eye at the Peoria Sports Complex. He saw one more pitch and sprayed a hard line drive at the right fielder. Then, his afternoon was done.

"Manny set a nice tone," said Padres manager Mike Shildt. "Very efficient two swings."

Much has been said about Machado’s impact as a tone-setter for these Padres. When he goes, the team goes. It’s no coincidence that San Diego's 2024 season turned when Machado's did -- sometime around mid-June.

As Machado began feeling the effects of that elbow surgery a bit less, he began to look like his old self. He batted .298/.343/.560 with 23 of his 29 home runs from June 19 onward. The Padres' record in that time? 56-29, the best mark in baseball.

"We all did our part," Machado said, crediting the Padres' training staff. "They all kept me healthy in there and able to go out and perform and be the best I possibly can. It was a fun year, man. I learned a lot from last season, dealing with injuries and dealing with not being 100%."

And then came the offseason preparation. Machado didn’t get that last winter, as he recovered from surgery. The difference, he said, was stark.

“It was great, man,” Machado said. “Had my regular offseason routine -- get ready, get strong and prepare for a long season. I wasn’t able to do that last year. So it was a fresh start.”

A fresh start? He hasn’t had many of those recently.

“It’s different, definitely,” Machado said. “It feels good. I had a really good offseason. Obviously there’s going to be bumps and bruises. I think that’s just the beauty of baseball. We all enjoy it. I wouldn’t trade anything in the world for it.”

That response is quintessential Machado. Particularly the “bumps and bruises” part. As though extensor tendon surgery and a debilitating high-grade ankle sprain could simply be chalked up to “bumps and bruises.”

But you know what? I think that’s legitimately the way Machado views them -- or at least tries to view them. It’s part of what leads to the end result: He’s an immensely valuable player whether he’s healthy or not.

And, as the 2025 season dawns, Machado is unmistakably healthy.

It’s been awhile.