SAN DIEGO -- The Padres need a bat.
This trade season, that’s the bare minimum. They could use more starting-pitching depth. They could use another reliever. They could use a catcher. But they need a bat. (At least one.)
Games against the rival Dodgers are often clarifying. It’s the Dodgers, after all, who the Padres are looking to dethrone in the National League West, winners of the division in 11 of the past 12 seasons. This week, the two rivals squared off for the first time this season, and the series was mostly even. Los Angeles won it by capturing Wednesday’s rubber match, 5-2, at Petco Park.
The margins were thin. The Dodgers capitalized on the traffic they created, and the Padres -- at least in their two losses -- largely did not. Nonetheless, the San Diego offense scored 20 runs in the three-game series and was mostly fine. But it can be better with an upgrade, and here’s how.
Another lever to pull
In two close losses this week, Padres manager Mike Shildt called on three different pinch-hitters late in games: Brandon Lockridge, Tyler Wade and Elias Díaz. This is no knock on any of them. All three are useful parts of a 26-man roster (and Wade, in particular, has taken some excellent at-bats lately). But as late-game pinch-hitting options, that group leaves much to be desired.
At this point, it’s clear the Padres don’t have much trust in Luis Campusano, who is hitless in 14 at-bats this season and has only taken one plate appearance this month -- a groundout in Tuesday’s blowout victory. That much was apparent when the lefty-hitting Wade was allowed to face lefty reliever Alex Vesia in the ninth inning on Wednesday.
The righty-hitting Campusano has been passed over in a number of key spots recently against left-handed relievers. Which leaves obvious questions about his fit on the roster. The reality is: He fits right now because the Padres don’t have another bat to fill that spot. The other reality is: They’re actively searching for one on the trade market.
Breaking up a lane of lefties
Earlier in the week, Shildt grew somewhat defensive when asked about his lineup construction and whether he’d consider rearranging the middle of his order to avoid creating a lane for an opposing lefty reliever.
As things stand, the Padres are stacking three lefties -- Jackson Merrill, Gavin Sheets and Jake Cronenworth -- at 4, 5 and 7. Shrewd opponents -- like the Dodgers -- have capitalized by throwing a left-hander against that trio. (In the middle of it, the slumping Xander Bogaerts in the six hole hasn’t capitalized.)
“I write the lineup, I get the lanes … I think about the lineup every night when I make it,” Shildt said. “So I don’t know -- do you have a suggestion?”
Clearly, that last part was rhetorical. Sure, there are suggestions. But any shakeup using the options on hand would only create an imbalance elsewhere. Is it worth moving, say, Manny Machado or Fernando Tatis Jr. down to fourth as a counter-move? Then, you’ve just moved one of your best bats down in the lineup.
The most obvious suggestion, of course, is out of Shildt’s control entirely. The Padres could add a bat to either break up that lane in the starting lineup -- or, at the very least, to come off the bench when needed.
Hitting the trade market for a left fielder
The Trade Deadline is July 31 at 3 p.m. PT. But -- as president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller proved last season when he acquired Luis Arraez in early May -- there’s nothing preventing teams from moving early.
Here’s the thing about the Padres’ current plight: It’s fixable. This isn’t a question about an up-the middle bat. They have those. In spades. They merely need a hitter who’s capable of playing a bit of left field. That’s not exactly a defense-first position, and those kinds of hitters are typically easiest to find on the trade market.
Clearly, the Padres need an upgrade. This season, their left fielders entered Wednesday hitting a paltry .199/.249/.292. That .541 OPS is second lowest in the Majors, ahead of only Pittsburgh. Jason Heyward is slated to begin a rehab assignment on Friday. But when he was healthy, he struggled at the plate. So, too, has Lockridge. The Padres have turned to Wade and Sheets in left recently, even though neither is a true left fielder.
At this point it’s clear. If Shildt is taking suggestions, the most obvious one isn’t under his purview.