Gavin Sheets has a chance to rewrite his season in October
Credit: Fox Sports
A small glimpse of how Sheets can make his season memorable for the Padres this October
Gavin Sheets did not need long to remind the San Diego Padres what they had missed.
After sitting out nearly a month with a left foot sprain and plantar fasciitis, he returned for the final two games of the regular season and recorded an extra-base hit in each. His home run in Sunday’s 9-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks was an encouraging final moment before San Diego’s Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs.
Oh Sheets, he's back. pic.twitter.com/GpGe1TRWhm
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 27, 2026
Sheets finished the year batting .212 with a .710 OPS, 17 home runs, and 48 RBIs. Those numbers reflect an underwhelming season, especially after he posted a .778 OPS through June. The slugger did have a phenomenal month of May, which could be considered the best month of his career, after he hit five home runs and had an OPS of .861.
Overall, it was not the campaign he wanted to showcase to San Diego. He finished the season with a -0.2 WAR. However, the playoffs offer him a chance to give it a different ending.
“I didn’t know if this day was necessarily going to come this year,” Sheets said last week ahead of his return. The slugger did everything to make sure it would.
Sheets will have to wait for the right opportunity. The Cubs named left-hander Matthew Boyd their Game 1 starter, making Sheets unlikely to start Tuesday. The Padres also do not plan to use him in the field unless circumstances force their hand. His expected role is as a designated hitter against right-handed pitching or a late-game pinch-hitter when San Diego needs a left-handed bat.
It is a limited assignment, but Sheets has made a habit of doing damage in precisely those moments. In his first at-bat as a Padre on Opening Day in 2025, he came off the bench and hit a game-tying home run that sparked a comeback win. His flair for timely swings carried into 2026, even as his overall production declined.
The best example came in Milwaukee in May. San Diego trailed the Brewers 1-0 and was down to its final out when Sheets hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning. It was his third go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth this season. Sheets did not just provide power; he gave the Padres wins they looked unlikely to claim.
Gavin Sheets versus righties since coming to SD
117 wRC+
.237/.326/.441
19.5 K%
10.5 BB%A healthy Sheets can be a useful DH slash pinch hitter vs RHP. Sheets also has a 131 wRC+ in high leverage and a 125 wRC+ with RISP as a Padre. pic.twitter.com/rvEYaqWDom
— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) September 24, 2026
The Padres proved they could win without him during his absence, surging through September to earn home-field advantage against the Cubs. Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jackson Merril, Ty France, and the rest of the lineup do not need Sheets to carry the offense. They could, however, need one clutch at-bat from him before this series is over.
That chance may come in Game 2 or, if necessary, Game 3, depending on Chicago’s pitching choices. It could also come later if the Padres advance. Sheets’ extra-base hits against Arizona suggest his swing is ready.
One swing may not turn his 2026 regular season into a great one. But it could still become the moment Padres fans remember most. Sheets has done it before, and a timely hit against the Cubs or another opponent would let him write a much stronger final chapter of 2026.
Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and now covers San Diego State Men’s Basketball. He also contributes regularly about the Padres. Chris is an athlete and is a huge fan of San Diego sports.