Padres' High-Paid Star Has Blunt Assessment of His Poor Performance

Maren Angus-Coombs has been struggling to see the ball to start the season and as the San Diego Padres' leadoff batter, he has been feeling the wrath of the fans at Petco Park.

However, a solid weekend against the Toronto Blue Jays has Bogaerts feeling a little more confident.

“It’s tough to see me hitting first right now,” Bogaerts told reporters, “I ain’t gonna lie. I come to the ballpark every day, and I’m not doing my job. It sucks. It sucks for me more than anyone else. The amount that I care for this game and the amount that I care to succeed, it really sucks. It’s tough to see me go through it. But I’ll keep my chin up and keep going.” 

In his last two games, Bogaerts was 3-for-9 with a home run, three RBIs, one run scored, and six total bases. It was his second homer of the season and Sunday was his first multi-hit game since April 3. He also drew a bases-loaded walk.

“I feel good,” Bogaerts said. “The walk there at the end is a good sign. The whole year, I’ve said I’ve been seeing the ball better than normal. Then I had a couple strikeout games in a row. So, hopefully, this continues for a while.”

Despite his struggles, his teammates have never lost faith in him.

“Xander’s been one of the most consistent players over the course of his career,” said starting pitcher Joe Musgrove. “I don’t think anybody here has any concerns about him. He’s finding his way. He’s arguably the hardest worker in here, not only in preparation for the game but during the course of the game.

“He’s always sprinting back and forth from the dugout to the clubhouse to the cages to look at video, get his swing right, get dialed in. We trust him and believe in his work ethic.”