Padres Grades for Every Position Group at the All-Star Break

With few exceptions, the Padres' first half was a tale of extremes.

San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen (14) takes the ball from pitcher Michael King (34) in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 3, 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Diego Padres’ record suggests they’re a .500 team. Their roster suggests something better on paper.

But a team built around a few high-priced superstars is bound to live and die by their performances. That's largely how it went in the first half, where the Padres’ strengths and weaknesses became easy to identify on a team defined by its extreme performances.

As a referendum on where the Padres go from here, their first half doesn’t amount to much.

The combined $970 million contracts for Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. means none of the three will be traded before the Aug. 3 deadline. Elsewhere on the roster, however, Padres president of baseball operations AJ Preller has some unenviable decisions to make about what’s best for his 48-48 club. 

Catchers: C

For all their abilities with a glove, Freddy Fermin and Rodolfo Duran have been such abysmal hitters, the Padres’ catchers rank barely above the MLB average as a unit.

Luis Campusano missed most of the first half with a fractured toe. In 26 games he has a .966 OPS, making him a useful litmus test for Preller’s deadline plans: trade the former top prospect while his value is high, or continue to ride his hot bat in hopes of better things?

Infielders: D+

Veteran first baseman Ty France signed a minor league contract in February and has been the Padres’ best hitter by OPS (.815). That’s both a credit to him and a major indictment on the rest of the team, whose collective .673 OPS was the worst in MLB before the break.

Here too, Preller faces the black-and-white choice of getting something for France (a free agent at the end of the season) before the deadline, or letting him carry the offense as long as need be.

Second baseman Jake Cronenworth tried playing through a concussion for a couple weeks, and wasn’t hitting well before that. He badly needs to turn around his .565 OPS because the alternatives (Sung-Mun Song, Will Wagner, Luis Rengifo) aren’t great.

Machado’s last 30 games before the break (.958 OPS, 23 RBIs) offered a glimmer of hope for a better second half. Bogaerts, who has one home run since May 30, is still searching at the plate.

Outfielders: C-

Tatis’ .340 OBP and 23 stolen bases, with occasional power and excellent defense, would be fine in a vacuum. For a face-of-the-franchise leadoff hitter who once slugged 42 homers in a season, it’s been tough to watch.

Left fielder Gavin Sheets’ 14 home runs have provided much-needed power, but his right-side platoon partners (Ramon Laureano and Samad Taylor) are both on the injured list.

Center fielder Jackson Merrill, who has regressed to replacement level in his third MLB season, is the biggest disappointment in the group.

Starting Pitchers: D

It always stood to reason that the Padres would go as far as their rotation would take them.

Lucas Giolito, Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove might be adequate depth behind Michael King, but that trio has combined to make 11 starts — none by Musgrove.

No one from the group of Walker Buehler, Randy Vásquez, Griffin Canning, Germán Márquez and Matt Waldron has emerged as an answer. 

Relief Pitchers: A

Where would the Padres be without their bullpen?

If Preller thinks this team can contend for a postseason berth, he will almost certainly have to trade from the group of Mason Miller, Adrián Morejón, Jason Adam, Wandy Peralta, Yuki Matsui and Bradley Rodriguez.

They’re a lot less fun to watch — and an unnecessary luxury — without a lead to protect.

Manager/Coaches: D

Craig Stammen was an atypical choice from the start. The idea that relief pitching doesn’t offer the best training for future managers is not refuted by the above grades.

Both he and first-year hitting coach Steven Souza Jr. probably needed more seasoning before taking over a team with postseason ambitions. More than that, they needed a healthier roster and/or a deeper group of backups to choose from at Triple-A. 

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