The San Diego Padres currently hold the 2nd best record in the MLB. Fernando Tatis Jr. may be the leading MVP candidate, the bullpen has looked un-hittable, and the starting rotation has held its own despite missing Yu Darvish. This has been one of, if not the most promising starts to a Padres season ever. Every Padres fan should be thrilled with this team’s start.
That said, there are still concerns that arose during this past road trip where the Padres went a measly 2-4. To no one’s surprise, it’s their offense. During the recent road trip, they averaged only 2.5 runs a game. The top of the lineup made up of Fernando Tatis, Manny Machado, and Gavin Sheets has been stellar, but we’ve seen a significant falloff. Is it time to have some doubts about the NL West leading Padres? Not really, here’s why…
Get Healthy
The biggest reason for the Padres recent struggles is due to injuries. Jackson Merrill is out with a hamstring injury, Luis Arraez with a concussion, and Jake Cronenworth with a broken rib. All three are expected to return in less than a month.
A lot of the Friar Faithful has seemed to feel that these injuries are revealing the Padres biggest flaw: lack of depth. Part of that is true. The Padres do have some questions at the bottom of the lineup, but at the same time a third of the everyday lineup is not playing. There’s bound to be regression when you’re missing a superstar, the three time batting champ, and a two time All-Star. When the Padres get healthy, the boost to the offense will be so significant that many of the depth questions will go out the window.
Trim the Fat
It’s important to not entirely ignore the Padres’ bench and the depth. It does matter. Right now, the Padres have some questionable veterans on the roster. Yuli Gurriel is atop that list as a part time 1B/DH who currently has a 9 OPS+. Gurriel is 40 years old and hasn’t had an above average offensive year since 2021. Jason Heyward, who is currently on the injury list, is the other veteran who has struggled to start his year by posting a .190 batting average and a .540 OPS. It may sound harsh, but the only thing these two are providing at this point is leadership, which the Padres already have an abundance of.
Replacement Options
When looking at potential replacements, two names come to mind: Tirso Ornelas and Luis Campusano. The Padres recently called up Ornelas to platoon in left field. He made his MLB debut on April 19th and has yet to get a hit in six at bats, but is coming off of two good season in AAA and a strong 2025 Spring Training where he had an OPS north of .800. Campusano has been on and off the Padres’ MLB roster since 2020. Right now, he is tearing the cover off of the baseball in AAA with his 1.157 OPS. He’s flashed his ability to hit throughout his minor league career and put up a .800 OPS for the Padres in 2023 when he platooned at catcher. It’s time to allow both of the young guys to take over the platoon spots in LF and DH.
Bottom Line
At the end of the day, the Padres are mostly banking on getting guys back from the injury list. Once they get Merrill, Cronenworth, and Arraez back, the lineup will be a lot deeper with the biggest question marks being in left field and DH (platoon vs lefties). The young guys should get the first crack to provide a spark to this offense. If it doesn’t work or the Padres don’t want to go that route, David Peralta and J.D. Martinez are sitting in free agency and would be immediate, low cost improvements to the lineup.
There’s no need to panic in San Diego. This offensive was one of the best in the league last year and will return to form with improved health and a couple minor tweaks.
The Key to Unlocking the Padres Struggling Offense