Earlier this week, Roberts said he had not spoken to Machado about the tactic but that he would certainly say “hello” to him in spring training. The Padres play the Dodgers on Sunday at Camelback Ranch, though Machado and most of the team’s other regulars are not expected to make the trip.

The San Diego Padres are hungry heading into the 2025 season after a disappointing NLDS loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, and that quest gets underway Friday against the Seattle Mariners in the spring training opener.

There is a sense that a still-talented team must make the most of the upcoming season. The urgency is heightened by what unfolded last fall.