The Padres’ season is slowly starting to spiral into a game of chances, and not the fun kind. One night, they’re smashing the reigning champs 11-1, and the next, they’re back to looking lost. After Tuesday’s win, there was hope that their offensive slump was finally behind them, but that vanished quickly. By Wednesday, the bats went quiet, and the Dodgers walked away with the series. The signs are hard to ignore: an overworked roster, lack of depth, and inconsistency at the worst possible time. With playoff hopes beginning to dim, the Padres may be in need of more than just small fixes. A shake-up feels inevitable.
As the Dodgers claimed the series finale 5-2, the Padres were quiet, unable to make much of an impact when it mattered most. Their offense fell flat. If the Padres learned anything from dropping their first series to the Dodgers this season, it’s that they’re in urgent need of more firepower in the armory. Like every other team, injuries have been a major issue for the Padres, too. And guess what? Even though some players are making noise, whoever else is left on the roster is either overworked or just not shining this season. Not an encouraging sign, especially as the playoff race heats up. With the trade deadline nearing, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers is issuing a warning for the Padres.
While talking with Buster Olney on the Baseball Tonight podcast, Rogers shared his honest take on the team: “I don’t love the bottom of their lineup. Catching and left field haven’t been great. They get exposed if there’s one injury. When Jackson Merrill was out, the Padres looked kind of ordinary. Xander Bogaerts hasn’t been great. Their power numbers are a little bit lower than they should be overall.” Of course, the Padres’ lineup doesn’t exactly scream win. “So, the Padres are okay. I don’t love them just yet. I’d like to see what A.J. Preller does in July to boost that offense. If they can get a catcher or a left fielder, that’ll help. The return of Yu Darvish will be huge, will be absolutely huge,” he added.
There’s definitely some truth to what Rogers pointed out. The Padres have an overall batting average of .247, which ranks them 15th in MLB this season. If we take out major names like Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado, it will look like a roster under construction. Sure, that lineup managed to bring down the Dodgers, but it was largely thanks to the Dodgers’ pitching collapse. With key arms like Yu Darvish and Michael King still sidelined, the Padres’ hopes are on hold.
Rogers is not the only one warning the team; Joel Sherman also recently weighed in, putting a dark cloud over playoff dreams. “For the Padres, it’s going to be a lot tougher. Michael King is not close to returning. We are hearing very iffy stuff about Yu Darvish. If those two guys do not come back and pitch well… it’s going to be hard for the Padres, maybe even to keep contact wild-card wise,” Sherman said on MLB Now.
So, it’s almost clear that only some bold and strategic trade deals from the General Manager A.J. Preller can save the Padres, who are 3rd in the NL West with a 38-29 record. But on the other side, players are hoping for the perfect comeback boost.
Fernando Tatis Jr. shares hope
The Padres are becoming more and more predictable, and it is not good news. It’s definitely time to polish the tools, shake up the roster, and take a shot that pushes them forward. Nothing builds belief like beating the best, and an 11-1 win against the World Series champions did just that. A new hope is on the horizon. Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. has been struggling at the plate lately, with a .200 batting average over his last 10 games. Still, he’s choosing to look ahead with hope.
“Taking what they give me,” Tatis said to the media, sharing his belief in the process. “And, you know, it’s a matter of time for me to get hot.” If he can rediscover the form he showed at the start of the season, it could be a game-changer for the Padres. But maintaining consistency has been the issue for him.
He’s hitting .259/.342/.454 with a .796 OPS, including 13 home runs and 28 RBIs from 65 games played this season. He’s still definitely one of the best right fielders in MLB, and if he remains consistent, his elite tools can boost the game for the Padres. After the Game 2 win, Merrill also shared optimism: “It’s good to see the offense jumping. Slow couple weeks, but you gotta know it’s going to jump,” he said.
They may have lost the series to the Dodgers, but if they can patch the gaps in their lineup before next week’s four-game rematch at Dodger Stadium, a turnaround is not far from reach.
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