The Padres announced that they have selected the contract of first baseman/outfielder Gavin Sheets. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Joe Musgrove was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Musgrove is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2025 season.
Sheets, 29 next month, signed a minor league deal with the Padres over the winter. He had previously spent his entire career with the White Sox but was non-tendered by that club after the 2024 season. He had hit throughout his minor league career with Chicago and debuted in the majors with a good .250/.324/.506 line in 2021. But he then hit .227/.291/.368 over the 2022 through 2024 seasons. Given that he’s not a strong defender or baserunner, that production became untenable.
In camp with the Friars, Sheets has had a monster showing. He has stepped to the plate 49 times over 19 games and hit six home runs. It’s a small sample size but he has an eye-popping line of .311/.367/.756.
Opening Day is still a week away. The fact that the Padres have added him to the roster today suggests he likely had some kind of opt-out or upward mobility clause on his deal. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that there was some kind of clause in his contract that gave him a chance to leave for another club. With those huge numbers, the Padres didn’t want him to get away and have given him a roster spot today.
Getting added to the 40-man roster doesn’t guarantee Sheets a spot on the active roster. He still has one option year remaining and can therefore be sent to the minors as depth. However, the Friars are looking for affordable upgrades to their lineup.
After the 2024 season, they lost Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, Kyle Higashioka, Donovan Solano and David Peralta to free agency. That left them short of a left fielder, an infielder, a catcher and a couple of solid role players.
But the budget in San Diego has been tight for a while. Last winter, that led to the Juan Soto trade. That deal bolstered the pitching depth and brought in Higashioka. Low-cost fliers on Profar, Solano and Peralta all worked out well, especially so in Profar’s case.
This winter, the budget has been tight again. While the heavily-rumored Dylan Cease trade hasn’t come to fruition, the club has tried to patch their holes without big spending. They gave a modest $3.5MM deal to Elias Díaz to bolster the catching mix. Connor Joe and Jason Heyward got a combined $2MM to platoon in left. As for the infield, Xander Bogaerts is going to move back to shortstop, freeing up second base for Jake Cronenworth and first base for Luis Arraez.
All that still leaves some room for guys in the designated hitter/bench bat mix. They have Tirso Ornelas, Eguy Rosario and Brandon Lockridge on the roster. Sheets was in camp as a non-roster invitee alongside vets like Jose Iglesias and Yuli Gurriel.
It might take a few more days for the whole picture to become clear. Gurriel and Iglesias also have opt-outs this weekend, so that will be something to watch in the next week or so. For now, the Padres have prevented Sheets from leaving and hope they have found another diamond in the rough.
Photo courtesy Allan Henry, Imagn Images
He had a really solid spring. Let’s see if it translates to the regular season.
It seldom does, though. How many times have we heard of a guy like this who just happens to get hot at the right time? Plus, you have to keep in mind that he’s facing some pitchers who won’t make active rosters. Or older guys tinkering with stuff. I mean, good for him. But I put very little stock in ST numbers.
Sheets can hit, he is a big lefty, has a big build, baseball reference has him at 6’3 but he has been listed at 6’5, 235 lbs. I always liked Sheets profile at first, big lefty target to throw to. I think the Padres got a good player and as a White Sox fan am still a little disappointed they let him go but happy to learn that he has had a big spring, will be rooting for him and the Padres this season.
I don’t see how the Padres have both Sheets and Gurriel on the OD roster, and with everything I’m reading (including the SD UT sports page this morning), Gurriel is a given.
I think Sheets got a bum rap in Chicago. Played out of position a LOT and barely played at first consistently enough to see if he could get comfortable and see what his bat could do. I will him well for the Pads and am rooting for him to be successful.
Has David Peralta found a job yet?
Surprisingly no, he is a decent player, better than some on the Padres and Pirates
Might be a numbers issue. I think the Pads front office were fine with his performance and clubhouse presence thingy.
Musgrove has been on the injury list a lot going back til when the umpires rubbed something onto his ears!
Found Buck Showalter’s account! Haha
Mashing. You earned it Gavin!
Good luck to Gavin with your Padres! I think he’s going to do great with a better organization and with Mike Schildt in the dugout!
Full time DH to start the year?
“Do it.” – Emperor Palpatine
Gavin isn’t a great fielder. Him being the Padres main DH isn’t a bad idea.
Arraez gets knocked, but he plays a fine 1B. Rather have him with the leather and DH Sheets, too. How your Cubbies looking, Acoss?
I think Sheets could be great at first, having a big target to throw too takes the pressure off your infielders when they are making that throw, it doesn’t show up in the stats. He has a long left handed stretch too, also helps in close plays at first.
Willing to give it a looksee on rest days, for sure!
Lol they got rocked by the Dodgers, Game 2 especially. Shota looked good in Game 1, bullpen gave up the runs. Small sample size gotta stay positive.
The Sox should have kept Gavin, launched Vaughn
He called AJs bluff and got put on the roster quickly
They should dump Heyward. Too many players that are much better are going to be left off the roster for what? Save $1M.
“The fact that the Padres have added him to the roster today suggests he likely had some kind of opt-out or upward mobility clause on his deal. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that there was some kind of clause in his contract that gave him a chance to leave for another club…”
Kevin ‘Sp’acee answered your question…hahaha!!!
I was surprised he was still able to get anything out of the locker room once Hosmer (who is still on the payroll) left.
JM – 1 more year!
The Dodgers are nervous now and the Diamondbacks will probably just forfeit their season. Gavin Sheets will hit .334 with 45 hr’s and 138 rbi. It’s crazy to think that, by theory, he’ll have those numbers in some alternate universe.
Maybe we are that universe.
If only the season could be 162 games of spring training….
Check in with some guy named Profar, to figure out what might be possible. Baseball is unpredictable. (Of course, if Sheets had been working out over the winter with Tati’s dad, as Profar did, I’d have more confidence in his immediate future. Sheets only had HIS dad to fall back on.)
It is going to be interesting to see what he can do outside the poisonous White Sox org.
Seems to hit righties ok, even in his down years, Maybe getting away from the White Sox is what he needs.
Never forget 2007,when Carlos Pena shocked the baseball world. In the 2007 season with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Carlos Peña had a stellar year, setting franchise records and earning the AL Comeback Player of the Year award, while also finishing 9th in the MVP voting.
He had been on many clubs prior to that, but a spring training injury of another player gave him the opportunity to prove himself one last time. Sheets having a 2007 Carlos Pena tyoe of season in 2025 is not a stretch of the imagination. These type of stories happen more than you would believe
in baseball. Look at O’Hearn with Baltimore. If Sheets is that guy, the Padres will be a lock for the postseason, but that’s a big “If”.
Assuming the Pads carry 13 pitchers into OD, and 2 catchers, that leaves 11 roster spots for position players
Tatis, Merrill locks in OF
Machado, Bogey, Cronz and Arraez locks in IF
Competing for the 5 roster spots are 9 guys (not including McCoy and Gonzalez):
Heyward, Joe, Sheets, Ornelas, Lockridge (OF)
Iglesias, Gurriel, Wade, Rosario (IF)
Some tough decisions here. Rosario and Wade are out of options and would have to be let go. Of the 9, Heyward has looked the worst in ST, but probably was the most pre-ordained to make the OD roster and I think he sticks. Iglesias, and Joe are likely to be on OD roster. Ornelas and Lockridge most likely starting in minors, That leaves Wade, Gurriel, Rosario and Sheets competing for the last two spots.
Curious to know if Ornelas has had a good Spring Training. It’d be cool to see the Padres have another situation like they had with Merrill last Spring Training!
Tirso has def had a good ST.
Unfortunately, SD didn’t seem to count on him when they signed a plethora of older vets to platoon.
Hey ward has had a horrible ST but like Brew stated, was the most pre-ordained of the bunch so, hard to undo that mindset.
I hope Heyward has a great year.
Heyward, Joe and Gurriel all seem destined to start the year on the roster and if (when) they suck in 6 weeks they get released. Sometimes it’s not about the best guy making the team out of ST, it’s about putting the guys in AAA that you can and letting the guys on MLB deals sink or swim. This timeline typically lines up with the date that minor leaguers can debut and still not earn a full year of service time. I fully think that is where Tirso comes in. Also Iglesias signed a minor league deal, so technically they could start him in AAA and wait for an infielder/ bench piece to implode.
Preller doesn’t do the service time thing. Certainly not with guys like Tirso who have been 6-year minor league FA’s before.
Ornelas came out the gates hot but cooled a bit (extra SSS here), but I think he can be a big-league average bat against righties. Had a ton of high EV batted balls to open ST and is handling the zone well.
Wade and Gurriel gotta go……
Ver – I agree. Iglesias and Eguy need to be on roster over Wade.
Iglesias also had a nice spring, two nice additions for the Padres with Sheets and Iglesias, I like Ornelas too, unsure why they signed Jason Heyward.
Agree on Heyward. SpongeBob Oscar Gonzalez is killing it at the plate and in CF, I honestly think he’s in front of Ornelas and Lockridge at this point.
Experience? Insurance? Just hope he’s not another Nelson Cruz or Matt Carpenter.
He won’t be Matt Carpenter because he won’t cost 14 mil.
He might be Nelson Cruz. A vet with a nice history in a position of need on low cost deal – worth a shot.
He was signed before these other guys showed up and had a nice ST.
Veternal lefty backup CF for essentially league minimum is a solid deal. Give him a month or so to show what he’s got; if he’s cooked, next man up.
I really didn’t know much about most of these (newer) guys to the team, going into S.T.. Every time one of them strung together a couple of good games, I think “Ok, wow, we maybe got us a Profar replacement here.” But as some here have mentioned, S.T. is just S.T., and good numbers in the Spring typically regress going into the sease.
Except for Profar, they didn’t. So, all AJP had to do for this winter is catch lightening in a bottle, … ahh… maybe 3-4 times, just like last winter! Right?
Yep, tough decisions. A bunch of guys getting after it and competing. I know that some will be crushed if they end up back at AAA, and others with outs, will bounce quickly to another team (would hate to lose Rosario). Hope they can keep some good ones, and the other stay strong, cause they’ll be up on the parent team at some point this season.
I gotta go keepsies on Eguy & Sheets. Wade & Yuri will pass Waivers so Outright ’em. More power to them if they choose to walk; I’d wish them the best at that point. Great post Brewski!
Wade is a cherished mascot though
I think we gotta put the GatorWade on ice for a bit… 26th man needs to better than just a mascot! Apologies for the bluntness, Brewdude!
He’s not my cherished mascot, but Shildty and the boys luv’m is all I’m sayin’ Swiss army and all and bench speed. I’d move on from him but I’m guessing we’ll be disappointed when it’s Wade not Eguy that sticks. Maybe one of em gets traded.. We’ll see. I’ll be at Petco in 6 days!
First .394s on me! Cheers braddha
Give us a wave Brew! I’ll be on mlbtv in my sunroom!
Assuming the C goes Diaz/Campy, I’m hoping for Joe, Heyward, Rosario, Sheets, and Iglesias on the bench. Ornelas has done enough, but I’d rather protect Rosario and Iglesias from waivers. I’ll be miffed if Gurriel or Wade make the team.
@straight. I think it’s true that both Gurriel and Sheets won’t make OD roster. But of your 5 bench guys, who can be considered a high end pinch runner? I think they keep Wade or Lockridge around for speed or maybe start the year with 12 pitchers and keep more bench guys.
Iglesias is fast, but not as fast as Wade (83 vs. 85 sprint speed according to Baseball Savant). The rest of the package is a better fit.
I didn’t know Iglesias was that fast!
Just stopped in to keep an eye on the machinations of a 76 win roster. Everything seems to be lining up…
With their lack of depth, they’re a couple of extended injuries away from that prediction. Especially if it happens to their rotation….
Is year #6 going to be our first getting 150 games from Tatis?
Probably not. So, 76 might be a pie in the sky…
Isn’t every competing team a “couple of extended injuries away from” being on the verge of a 76-win season? I know you guys are Dodger fans, but your dunk here looks like y’all did it on a Lil Tyke 2ft plastic hoop.
They’re only here because they’re scared
Pressure’s on! Go Pads
@Gwynn, for the last time,I’m not a dodgers fan. I am a sound minded padres fan.
That’s why I’m saying 76 wins TOPS. Those injuries Jerry was talking about drops the boys in caca brown to 100 loss territory.
My guess is that by 5/20/25 you & the rest of the baseball loving world will have seen enough to snap out of candyland.
But for some odd reason you’ll encourage us all to keep believing in AJ
-“I am a sound minded padres fan.”
-“…the boys in caca brown…”
Yeah, nobody believes you. My birthday is very close to 5/20/25, what are you and the rest of the boys in Doyer Blue gunna get me?
Do you really think this team falls off 17 wins from last year?
could be I’m biased, but a healthy Tatis, Arraez, Machado and Bogey probably makes up for losing Profar
Dodgers are a couple extended injuries away from a 90-win season….
Blah blah blah, rub it in some more Jerry! Cheers dude
Fwiw, the Pads will be very competitive this season. NL west will be much like last year…
I (…we, I guess…) could be wrong, but I agree. My parents are big Dodger fans so I always root for the NLW when my Pads fold. West is the best Division. Laters
C Campusano
1B Gurriel
2B Cronenworth
3B Machado
SS Bogaerts
LF Ornelas
CF Merrill
RF Tatis
DH Arraez
Bench
Diaz, Iglesias, Joe, Heyward/Sheets.
I feel like Heyward probably gets released, but the fact he can play CF might keep him with Sheets going to AAA, at least to start the season
Diaz is the likely starting C at this point. Ornelas not likely to make OD roster but wouldn’t surprise me if he’s promoted early in season. They’re giving Oscar Gonzalez a long look because he can play CF
And again ohhh sheet.
Sheets will come back down to earth once he faces major league pitching. A quad A player matched up against double and triple A players in spring training. He can’t field or hit at a major league level.
I didn’t know Luis Castillo, James Karinchak and Bryan Woo were starting in AA this year. From your stained blue lips to my ears… thanks for the insight!
These rules let smart, scrappy teams grab undervalued players before anyone else can bid, turning small-sample hot streaks into roster steals.