Padres Daily: Plumbing for depth; Manny on fire; Rotation creativity

Good morning,

Manny Machado was asked to assess the Padres’ 10-game road trip yesterday afternoon.

“Fifty-fifty,” he said.

He quickly smiled and acknowledged that was also literally true — that the Padres had finished .500 on the longest trip of the season.

But his assessment covered so much more.

The Padres won their final two games in St. Louis over the weekend to get back to eight games above .500 and maintain a one-game lead in the wild-card chase.

You can read in my game story (here) from yesterday’s 9-2 victory over the Cardinals how the Padres have performed better on offense recently and where they stand in the National League playoff race.

The Padres, in fact, have a 50.7% chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs. The Giants are at 23.8%, the Reds at 21.3% and the Cardinals at 16.2%.

This could be the week that ends up tipping those chances in actual real life.

There are plenty of people around the game who believe the Padres playing into October could very well hinge on A.J. Preller finding a way to make their lineup (and their bench) deeper by Thursday’s deadline.

Stephen Kolek had another quality start yesterday, a day after Randy Vásquez and the Four Horseman turned in another superb combination effort. The Padres’ bullpen maintains the lowest ERA in the major leagues. But Preller would still do well to also add a starting pitcher and possibly another higher-leverage reliever, though that might take his best trade deadline maneuvering ever given that he doesn’t have much money (if any) to spend.

If Preller makes the Padres appreciably better, most believe, it will mean he pulled off some combination of buying and selling and will have unloaded at least one of the team’s current regulars and/or starting pitchers.

Whatever he does, it would seem a failure if the Padres can’t legitimately claim to have a better starting lineup after 3 p.m. PT on Thursday.

It remains a given that this team is driven by its core.

But the Padres also cannot rightfully expect to win enough games with the players at the bottom of their lineup performing as they have for much of the season.

The players who have batted ninth for them this season rank 29th in MLB in OPS. The players who have batted eighth rank 28th. The Padres are the only team in the majors to be in the bottom three at both spots.

Their No.7 hitters rank 22nd in OPS, making the Padres the only team to rank in the bottom nine in OPS in all three of the bottom three spots in their order.

So it was certainly encouraging for the Padres to get some production from down in the order over the past three games. (Those spots went 9-for-33 with three walks and three sacrifice bunts.)

In all, the Padres are hitting better this month — by some measures almost as well as they did the first 40 games of the season.

But their standing is too precarious, and their lineup is not strong enough.

The Padres are by no means the only flawed team in the National League playoff chase. But it is a race so close that which team(s) win at the trade deadline might have the edge.

Creativity required?

The Padres’ rotation is in a predicament, particularly as we ponder the postseason possibilities.

Maybe all will be well. Maybe Michael King will return the same as ever and Yu Darvish will shake off the cobwebs and figure out how to get outs on a regular basis again and maybe Dylan Cease will not be traded and pitch effectively consistently.

Maybe none or all of a couple of those things will happen.

But Saturday’s game provided an example of how the Padres might need (probably will need) to get creative.

I detailed in the game story (here) from that 3-1 victory how the Padres have been able to pair Vásquez and the Padres’ four back-end relievers to lock down nine innings time after time.

No one could argue this (or something like it) would be the ideal way to navigate multiple postseason games. But ideal isn’t something in human control most of the time.

This might be something the Padres have to do.

The best teams adapt. Or, in the words of a certain manager, winners find solutions.

The Dodgers, with a decimated starting rotation, pieced together five bullpen games in their three playoff series (15 total games) en route to winning last year’s World Series.

The Padres are evidently going to reconfigure their rotation in the coming days, perhaps to give Darvish (and possibly Nick Pivetta) some extra rest. As I wrote about in my postgame notebook (here), after Cease starts tonight against the Mets, the Padres have not announced their starters for the next two days.

Ryan Bergert was scheduled to start for Triple-A El Paso yesterday but did not.

Manny on fire

Yesterday’s notebook also detailed Machado’s big series.

He was 11-for-17 in four games against the Cardinals and is batting .619 (13-for-21) with a home run, four doubles and six RBIs during a five-game streak in which he has at least two hits.

“He’s been consistently our guy,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “He’s not gonna get four hits every night, but he’s gonna take quality at-bats consistently. So I just see him as being really good, not necessarily hot – just a really good player with the right approach and just a beautiful stroke, and just a winning player.”

There is merit in what Shildt says. Machado has been the Padres’ most consistent hitter and leads the team in virtually every category.

His streak has vaulted his average back to .300, second in the National League. His .866 OPS ranks 10th.

Machado doesn’t tinker all that much with his swing. He generally is better than most at not getting too high or low based on his results.

But he is most certainly hot. Super hot.

And Machado’s heat waves generally last a while.

In each of the previous five seasons, he has had at least one streak of at least 30 games in which he had at least a 1.011 OPS.

In 2020, ‘22 and ‘24 (the Padres’ past three playoff seasons) at least one of those streaks came in the second half of the season just about when the Padres needed him to be that guy.

“It’s almost like you’re just waiting for it to happen,” Jake Cronenworth said of Machado’s penchant for carrying the club for stretches. “When it does, it doesn’t even surprise you. … It’s what he does in three-hole for us for the last six years.”

When it matters

The Padres’ 16 hits yesterday were tied for their second most this season.

But enough about that.

“Hits are great,” Cronenworth said. “But the biggest thing is hits with men in scoring position.”

The Padres were 6-for-19 with runners in scoring position yesterday. The six hits were their third most this season.

Yesterday was just the 10th time in the past 68 games that the Padres had more than three hits with runners in scoring position. Their .209 average in that circumstance in the 67 games leading up to yesterday was second-lowest in the majors.

“We averaged 10, 12 hits a game,” Machado said of the road trip. “And some of them, we didn’t score some runs. We could have been a little bit better at driving some guys in and hitting with runners in scoring position. But, you know, step by step. I think that’s the next one.”

Jose D

Jose Iglesias has made the spectacular look routine for the entirety of his 13 seasons in the major leagues.

That doesn’t make his glovework any less delightful.

Like the play in yesterday’s fifth inning.

With a runner on first base, the Cardinals’ Pedro Pagés chopped a ball that bounced behind second base. Running toward right-center field and without breaking stride, Iglesias reached out to grab the ball and in one motion and before he looked back flipped it from his glove to Cronenworth for a force out.

Do your stuff, Jose. pic.twitter.com/FzyctJUs4P

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 27, 2025

“Straight schoolyard,” Shildt said. “Just figured out a way. And Croney, sneaky nice play to grab it.”

Iglesias actually rolled the ball to Cronenworth, who made the decision to receive it with his bare hand.

“I was just trying to find the ball,” Cronenworth said. “I didn’t know where he was gonna throw from.”

The play ended up being No.1 on ESPN’s “SportsCenter Top 10” plays, and it was the most spectacular of the three highlight-worthy plays Iglesias made at shortstop yesterday.

All is well

There was no further incident between the Padres and Cardinals yesterday.

But since I skipped the newsletter following Saturday’s game, let’s review what happened when the benches and bullpens emptied after Machado was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning of that game.

The fracas got a little more heated, just briefly, than the one on Friday.

Saturday probably would not have escalated if not for Cardinals coach Jon Jay saying something to Machado as the teams came on the field. By that time, Machado was headed to first base. But he was incensed by whatever Jay said and began to yell at Jay while there was some shoving elsewhere in the scrum.

Manny Machado was HEATED after getting hit for a 2nd time in Padres vs Cardinals pic.twitter.com/nUBhqCsrgd

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 27, 2025

Cardinals pitcher Andre Granillo was not ejected, despite warnings having been issued after Machado was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning, a half-inning after the Cardinals’ Willson Contreras was hit.

“I know he probably doesn’t want to do that in that situation,” Machado said of Granillo. “You see him when he does (hit Machado). He kind of feels bad. I mean, you’re just pissed off. It is what it is. Nothing to it. But then you got somebody else coming up and yapping his mouth. That’s when s— starts getting real.”

Jay was ejected.

What seemed interesting in the moment was that it has been well known for years that Miami natives Machado and Jay are close friends from way back. (Here is a 2017 article from the Players Tribune in which Jay, Machado and Yonder Alonso, Machado’s brother-in-law, detail their Miami-born bond.)

But evidently, that bond was broken.

“Yeah, right,” Machado said Saturday night. “I know the real him. … No, absolutely not. Absolutely not.”

Presented with an opportunity to give his side yesterday morning, Jay responded, “I’ve got nothing to say. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Virtually everyone agreed the only pitch that was intentionally thrown at someone Saturday was the one that hit Machado in the elbow guard in the fifth inning. That followed Willson Contreras being hit for a second consecutive night. Contreras would again be hit in the ninth inning.

Vásquez, who hit Contreras on the wrist in the fourth, spoke briefly with Contreras on the infield after that inning to explain he did not mean to hit him. Nonetheless, Machado wore the first pitch of the next half-inning.

“I get it,” Shildt said. “I understand. I’m not, I’m not casting any stones. I understand it completely. There, take care of their guy. And then after that Manny and Contreras get hit again. And I can confidently say from our side that it wasn’t intentional. And I feel pretty convicted from their side it wasn’t intentional as well. But, you know, it’s hot, it’s that time of year. Guys ain’t digging it.”

What to do?

Major League Baseball is on track for its fewest hit batters since the covid-shortened 2020 season and roughly the same number of hit batters as in 2018 and 2019.

But that likely will only be so by less than 200, and it will be still more than in any season before 2018.

“Somebody has got to stand up for our hitters,” Shildt said Saturday night, taking the opportunity to do so. “… We are very concerned about guys throwing in that can’t command the baseball. It’s unfortunate to see the hitters around this league with the stuff they’re facing have to deal with that. Throwing in, even the hitters understand that’s part of the game. … But, yeah, somebody’s got to stand up for our hitters in this game. It’s just too many guys getting hit, too much risk, too many guys getting hit up and high. That’s people’s livelihoods, man.

“It’s something that I know the league doesn’t want, and it’s trying to figure out. But the fact of the matter is (pitchers) are gripping and ripping it. And when you get to max effort and you’re trying to do everything you can, and you fly open just a little bit, the ball is going to get away … And it’s really scary. And what the solution is — I’m a solution based guy — I don’t know. But we’ve got to start taking care of our hitters, because that’s scary stuff. These guys are throwing harder than ever now.

“I don’t want to get on the soap box or have this diatribe, but I do have a player development background. … And even before player development, it’s just taking place in amateur baseball now. It’s all about velocity. It’s all about spin rate. It’s all about get it and rip it. And it’s coming at the expense of being able to actually (work on) the art of pitching. And it’s ultimately coming at the expense of some of our hitters, some of our better hitters. Understandably, we get it. We play some teams recently that still throw in, but do it the right way. You know, they’re missing six, eight inches in. It’s more middle of the body to the lower body, moving feet. Got no problem with that. Understand it. But it’s not a teaching that’s taking place anymore in our game, and there’s no real accountability to it.”

Contreras, who has been hit an NL-leading 17 times this season and the third-most times (94) in the major leagues since 2020, concurred. Only with a little more bluntness.

“That’s one thing I’ve been saying for years,” Contreras said. “… Nowadays, it seems like (some pitchers) have no idea what they’re doing.”

It should be noted that some hitters are expert at getting hit. Most wear protective elbow guards. And many hitters stand closer to the plate to try to be in better position for certain breaking pitches.

Johnson getting results

The Padres’ lack of depth, including bench options, has been a topic since spring training. And it may yet be a cause of their demise, depending on what Preller can swing in the coming days.

But there has emerged over the past month a contributor who does a lot of the things it takes to be a viable option.

Bryce Johnson was among the heroes of Saturday’s game after having a hand in all three Padres’ runs.

His single in the second inning scored Cronenworth from first base with help from an error. Johnson’s sacrifice on a safety squeeze brought Cronenworth in from third with the decisive run in the fourth inning. And he scored in the ninth inning after a lead-off double.

And after replacing Gavin Sheets in left field in yesterday’s seventh inning and hitting a single in the eighth, Johnson is batting .361 (13-for-36) with an .839 OPS since being recalled from Triple-A on June 16.

You can read Jeff Sanders’ story (here) from the day Johnson made his first start of the season for some background on how Johnson ended up back with the Padres.

Johnson, a switch-hitter, was with the Padres for 2½ months last season after being called up in late June when Tatis went on the injured list.

Johnson started seven straight games at the end of that month. But he hit just .190 (4-for-21) with three walks, and David Peralta got hot and became the regular right fielder. Johnson ended up starting just 11 more times and finished with a .206/.286/.238 line in 76 plate appearances before being sent down when Tatis returned in early September and non-tendered in the offseason.

He signed a minor-league deal with the Pirates and began the season in Triple-A before the Padres traded for him in April.

Johnson has become the regular defensive replacement for Sheets in left field, primarily late in games the Padres lead by a slim margin. He has two sacrifice bunts, three stolen bases and three doubles.

“Being around these guys every day, it gives me the freedom to play,” Johnson said. “I know my role here. It’s not anything different than last year. It’s just, I guess the results are producing a little bit more, but nothing feels different. Nothing has changed for me. … Probably the biggest thing is just knowing my role more and what needs to happen in given situations.”

Tidbits

• Machado, Tatis, Luis Arraez, Xander Bogaerts and Jackson Merrill all had at least one hit for the fifth time in the past 13 games they have all been in the lineup. They had done so just four times in the previous 49 games in which they were in the lineup together.
• Arraez had his major league-leading 14th three-hit game yesterday and is batting .390 (16-for-41) during a 10-game hitting streak. That is two games off his season high streak and four games off his career high.
• Tatis was 7-for-17 with a home run and three doubles in the four-game series. In 18 games since July 6 (the day after his OPS sank to a season-low .789) Tatis is batting .323 with a .951 OPS.
• Wandy Peralta took over for David Morgan with two out and a runner on second base in the seventh inning and got a groundout on his first pitch. Peralta has stranded all but one of the past 26 runners he has inherited. That covers a stretch of 22 games since May 31, during which Peralta has a 2.22 ERA.
• Shildt said near the start of the road trip that he didn’t think his team had been utilizing the bunt enough until recently. He meant it. The Padres have 12 sacrifice bunts (six more than any other team) and two bunt hits in their past 14 games. For the season, they lead MLB with 31 sacrifice bunts, including one yesterday by Elias Díaz that scored Sheets and the one by Johnson on Saturday that scored Cronenworth.

All right, that’s it for me.

Talk to you tomorrow.