AJ Preller | Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
A.J. Preller has to make changes
In their first game against the rival LA Dodgers, the Padres got great production from utility man, and current left fielder, Tyler Wade. He tripled in the bottom of the third against Dustin May and pushed the Padres into the lead, 6-5. In the bottom of the sixth, Brandon Lockridge pinch-hit for Wade when reliever Anthony Banda took over for May. The preference would be to use a right-handed pinch hitter in that situation as Lockridge is a light-hitting, defense-first bench piece. That person doesn’t exist on this team.
This scenario has played out multiple times in key situations over the season. The team started the season with 40-year-old Yuli Gurriel as their right-handed pinch hitter and now have Luis Campusano filling that spot. Except Campusano is the invisible man.
On his first promotion to fill that role, Campusano played in three games going 0-for-6 and was sent back to El Paso. After being recalled May 24, Campusano has appeared in four games with seven at-bats without a hit and has six walks over both stints. His line of .000/.316/.000 is embarrassing for him and the team. He has not played defensively at any position and hasn’t been seen since May 31.
It is obvious the organization doesn’t value him in any defensive role and it would be hard to make a case that they think any more highly of his offensive skills. So why is he still here?
The obvious answer is that there is no one in the system that they believe can do any better. That is a serious indictment of the upper levels of the Padres system and the fact that general manager A.J. Preller has been unable to sign or trade for someone to fill that role only amplifies how little baseball as a whole values the Padres minor league system—or how unwilling Preller is to trade the prospects that are valued.
The left field job should be up for grabs and the predominant player to fill it currently is Tyler Wade, despite his
poor numbers versus left handed pitching. When not using Wade, Lockridge usually gets the opportunity and his overall
offensive numbers are not as good as Wade and he is even worse against left-handed pitching.
The third option is everyday DH Gavin Sheets but his numbers versus lefties have been trending down lately,
back to his previous baseline. He is best suited as a DH, when he is hitting well, and his filling in at first base or left field is a defensive liability for the team.
At a minimum, Preller has to acquire an everyday left fielder and a right-handed bench bat if the Padres want to continue to compete for a playoff spot. They can’t afford to play with a 25-man roster or a glaring offensive hole in left field. Accepting poor offensive production at the catcher position is the only liability they can afford to absorb. The other two needs will obviously have to come from outside the organization and it will be interesting to see how Preller manages to fill out this short-handed roster.
This piece was written before tonight’s win over Los Angeles.
