After a phenomenal start to the season, the San Diego Padres have fallen apart. While the bullpen has been an issue lately, it’s the offense that’s mostly to blame for their recent underperformance. In fact, over the past month, the Friars have had one of the lowest team OPSs in the entire MLB. It’s been a massive problem.
Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr, and Jackson Merrill have all been slumping. The left field spot has produced the third-lowest fWAR (wins above replacement) this season, and the catching production ranks the worst in the league, with a combined –0.2 fWAR. It’s easy to see why the Padres’ offense has fallen apart over the past couple of months.
At this point, trade rumors indicate that the Padres are looking to make a move to upgrade the outfield. While that upgrade is necessary, the Padres must also do something at the catcher position if they want to see the offense improve.
Luis Campusano
Before diving into the trade options, the Padres should look internally. Luis Campusano is a familiar face to all Padres fans, as he’s bounced back and forth between the big leagues since his initial call-up in 2020. While the Padres’ former highly ranked prospect has struggled to catch on at the MLB level, it’s hard to rule out that he wouldn’t be an upgrade over Martín Maldonado.
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune also believes Luis Campusano should get a shot.
“Maybe they should give Campusano a chance…there are not many left in the organization who still believe wholeheartedly he can be a major contributor. That is obvious. But Campusano has the highest OPS (1.064) in the Pacific Coast League. The reports from there are also excellent regarding his effort and focus and his handling of the pitching staff.”
If the Padres don’t make a deadline move at the catcher spot, they should seriously consider releasing Maldonado for Campusano. Maldonado’s highest OPS is .606 since the 2020 season, and this season he is ranked as the 7th percentile in defensive run value. Campy may not be the future at the position, but he should still be able to outperform those dreadful numbers.
Catching Trade Options
Even if the team gives Campusano more playing time, the best move for the Padres would still be to swing a trade for a new backstop.
Sean Murphy is far and away the best catcher who has a chance to get traded. With the emergence of Drake Baldwin, some reporters believe that the Braves would consider moving Murphy. The veteran has 3 years and $45 million owed to him after this season (with a club option in 2029). While that’s a decent price, Murphy’s play has been worth it. He has a career OPS of .760 and is an elite defender behind the plate. He is arguably the biggest upgrade the Padres can make this deadline.
If the Padres can’t pay the salary or pony up the trade capital to acquire Sean Murphy, there are still other options. Ryan Jeffers, Joey Bart, Shea Langeliers, and Gary Sanchez are among the names that have been floated around in rumors. Jeffers has the highest offensive skill set of that group, with a career .734 OPS, but lacks defensively. Bart and Langeliers are both upgrades who have multiple years of control ahead of them. A familiar face in Gary Sánchez will likely be the cheapest to acquire, as he is on a one-year deal. He has put up a strong season offensively with his .799 OPS, as the backup to the Orioles’ All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman.
What the Padres Need to Do
Regardless of the route the Padres decide to take, they must tend to much-needed upgrades at catcher, left field, and the bench. This offense needs more depth, and they must add if they have any desire to make a playoff run this year. The pitching depth has kept the Friars’ season alive to this point. Now, it’s time for this lineup to get reinforcements and close out the regular season in a similar fashion to last year.
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