The Padres are getting a big bat back in the lineup today. Trent Grisham has been activated from the 10-day injured list, while Brian O’Grady has been optioned to Triple-A.
O’Grady has been the first man up from Triple-A for the Padres most of this season. The 29-year-old is a capable defender, but he’s hit just .167/.279/.333 in 44 plate appearances in the Majors this season.
Grisham is a key bat and defensive player for the Padres, despite his relative lack of Major League experience. The 24-year-old has 589 plate appearances in his career – more-or-less one full professional season – but that time has been broken up between 183 plate appearances with the Brewers in 2019, 252 plate appearances for the Padres during the shortened 2020 season, and 154 plate appearances around a couple of injured list stints this season. When healthy, he’s proven a potent and well-rounded contributor, slashing .301/.383/.515 with six home runs and seven stolen bases in 2021.
The Pads will be eager to get Grisham back, especially right now, as their offense has been in a bit of a funk of late. They have an 89 wRC+ as a team going back to May 15th.
Sd fans…. How do you feel about Tatis hitting 4th most days now……
Id probably bat him 2nd behind Grisham ideally .
I think the thought process Now is Pham is finally doing something once he was {forced to hit first} – Bit too much voodoo magic for me, but Id bet it works itself out naturally 2nd half
The Padres need to leave him lead off spot. The offense flows better as a whole when Tatis Jr. is the fire starter.
Right now Yu Darvish is their best hitter and should be batting 3rd
I would bat Tatis 2nd or 3rd. Grisham is exactly what a team wants at leadoff: he takes a lot of pitches, doesn’t swing much at pitches outside the zone, will take a walk, has power and is a threat on the bases. Tatis 2nd and Machado 3rd to protect Tatis. What the Padres really need is a good LH cleanup hitter with power. Someone a pitcher is afraid to throw strikes to.
Pham can lead off against LHP. Grisham 2nd, Tatis 3rd and Machado cleanup. He is selective and has speed as well. He will get on base but he doesn’t have the power anymore to hit lower in the lineup unfortunately.
The best part about having Grisham back is that it allows Cronenworth, a high quality hitter, to drop lower in the lineup and extend it.
Pham has Always been a better hitter at the top of the lineup. He’s better as a catalyst, getting on base than hitting in the middle of the order trying to drive in runs. Tatis has been outstanding in the leadoff spot for the Padres but he’s done pretty well hitting cleanup too
As I watch Hosmer (fifth in MLB in ground-ball hitting) bounce into a DP against the Mets, my question for Padres fans is this: Do you think Hosmer is a good hitter? Why or why not? His OPS is now .681 after a hot start.
Streaky, but quietly clutch at the same time. Roller coaster ride!
What joy is it to kick Padre fans when they’re down?
I don’t think he was taking a shot, he was just asking. I think that Hosmer would be an average hitter…for a 2B. He is not what you want from a 1B.
Asking the question is fine, asking it only to Padre fans is leading.
Not kicking Padres fan at all. I guess the bigger question is whether fans think they need another bat until Abrams’ arrival. Hosmer and Myers have been erratic, Pham, Profar, Kim and the catchers also with low OPS. Some useful players there. It just appears to me that they need one more steady hitter to go with Tatis, Machado, Grisham, and Cronenworth, all of whom are all-star level players.
Every guy on the team has an OPS below their career ave. Blame the hitting coach?
@ Brewer88
Padres 2021 OPS+:
Tatis-177
Grisham-156
Cronenworth-117
Machado-110
Nola-104
Myers-103
Pham-98
Hosmer-97
Only Pham and Hosmer are below average hitters right now and both just barely. Tatis and Grisham are both well above their lifetime OPS right now. There are no holes in this Padres lineup right now. Sure they could use another big bat, but those are extremely expensive and are not actually necessary right now.
There are holes compared t0 their competition in the division. Isn’t that the point of it…trying to be better than the completion? I won’t include Bellinger since he recently returned from the IL.
Muncy-164
Taylor-143
Turner-139
Smith-132
Betts-125
Beaty-121
Seager-120
Pollock-115
Lux-95
@ Cey Hey
What you responded to is my reply to Brewer88’s comment. My reply to you is below it.
Yes, the Padres could use another big bat. I think they will pursue one this off-season to replace Pham. As far as THIS YEAR the only players who are available would require a trade. I don’t see anyone worth trading prospects for.
I was talking about career ave, not comparing them to league average. And to be honest I was mostly considering each players drop off from last year.
There may not be “holes” with that perspective, but they’re team batting ave is 3rd worst, OPS 4th worst in NL. That needs to change if they want to compete. Right now they’re competing with Pirates and Brewers for worst hitting in NL.
If the Cubs win (they’re leading), the Padres will be a game behind for the second WC spot. Do you really think Preller won’t try to acquire someone like Aguilar?
Ultimately I figured the underlying motive with your original question was to boost your team while the Pads were slumping. You’ve succeeded.
Gandhi is way past prime
Hosmer has been a disappointment in both halves of an inning.
That leaves 4 starters who are replaceable: Hosmer, Myers, Pham and Nola. Hosmer still has 3 years on his contract, Myers 2, Pham just this year and Nola has 3 years of arb. Lifetime OPS+ of each: Hosmer-108, Myers-111, Hosmer-119 and Pham-122. All above average lifetime. The only ones who are below average this year are Hosmer-97 and Pham-98… both barely below average.
Hosmer and Myers are signed to big contracts, they aren’t being replaced. Nola is a plus catcher and hitter, he won’t be replaced. Pham is the only one who is replaceable and he is hitting well right now. It would be nice for the Padres to get a power hitting, left-handed OF to replace him but it is not essential.
@ Nola-119, Hosmer-108
Nola is not a plus compared to Posey and Smith, either career or in 2021
Smith-C: 141; 2021: 132
Posey-C: 129; 2021: 182
Hosmer is at 108, though he’s been above that figure just once as a Padre (last year’s short season). The other years are 100, 94, and his current 97. Considering the position he plays, they will need an upgrade before his contract is over.
Since 2021’s first 16 games, Hosmer is at .221/.247/.279. That’s a .526 OPS over a quarter-season. Yes, he has four years (not three) remaining on his contract. But if he doesn’t produce, they can’t keep throwing him out there as their starting 1B. He’s a disadvantage now and figures to become an albatross as time goes by.
@ Cey Hey
Nola is not the best catcher in the game but he is above average. Hosmer in his 4 years as a Padre had OPS+ of 94, 97, 100 and 134. That comes out to roughly 100 OPS+ over his Padre career. That is average. You usually want more out of your 1B but he is locked in and is still AVERAGE. When your 2 worst starters are average (better than half the other players in the game), that is pretty good.
Any one of the 8 starters are replaceable in the starting lineup. There’s a thing called the bench.
The holes in the Padres lineup are Machado,Hossmer,Pham,Meyers and anyone at the catching position. What an over paid under achieving group.