Padres’ organization players of the week: June 14-20
Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports
The San Diego Padres had a roller-coaster week, and it ended with a bang against the Reds.
After getting swept by the Rockies in Denver to open the week, the Padres did some sweeping of their own, of the four-game variety, against the Reds. Several players stepped in to turn the tide in the middle of the week.
Matthew Acosta (Lake Elsinore)
The 23-year-old outfielder made a big impact for the Storm this week. He ended the week with a four-game hitting streak, including going 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI on Friday, falling just a triple shy of the cycle. Overall, he played five games and hit .444 with a 1.468 OPS with two home runs, a double, and a triple.
Tucupita Marcano (El Paso) .490 avg, 1.389 OPS, 3 HR, 8 RBI
Marcano is starting to heat up since his demotion from San Diego. He hit safely in five of the six games this week. On Saturday, he went 3-for-4 with a double and two home runs with five RBI. Over the week, he hit a whopping .490 with three homers and eight RBI. He also posted a 1.389 OPS and 223 wRC+.
Before having to leave the game on Saturday with a tweak of the shoulder, Tatis was scorching hot at the plate this past week. He tallied five extra-base hits in six games, including three straight games with a home run. Overall, he hit .333 with a 1.297 OPS and 241 wRC+ during the week. He also scored eight runs and is now third in the National League with 52 runs scored. He ranks second in bWAR (3.2), first in oWAR (4.0), and first in home runs (22).
477 from @tatis_jr 😱
That's the longest HR of his career. pic.twitter.com/BeNm13cJzV
— MLB (@MLB) June 16, 2021
Pham continues his hot streak. No Padres hitter has been more consistent at getting on base in the last month than Pham. This week, that remained the case with a .429 on-base percentage in six games. He collected six extra-base hits, including three doubles in Saturday’s win over the Reds. Since May 23, Pham is batting .333 with a .431 on-base percentage, 1.001 OPS, and 177 wRC+. He has been an absolute weapon atop the lineup.
Three doubles has Tommy Pham hitting .333/.449/.579 in June!#HungryForMore pic.twitter.com/64laGSp3VA
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 20, 2021
Another player who slumped for a big portion of the season that looks to be coming alive is Myers. Between April 30 and May 26, Myers batted a lowly .159 with a microscopic 20 wRC+. This week, Myers hit safely in five of seven games. On Friday, he turned in his best game of the season, hitting two home runs and becoming the home run leader in Petco Park’s history. He continued his hot hitting throughout the weekend, with a double on Saturday and a two-run triple on Sunday that led to him coming home on a throwing error. Overall, he hit .333 with a 1.110 OPS and 198 wRC+.
WIL MYERS IS SOME KINDA HOT RIGHT NOW 🔥🔥🔥@Padres | #HungryForMore pic.twitter.com/3qnfmnYBeH
— Bally Sports San Diego (@BallySportsSD) June 20, 2021
Although Kim didn’t play a lot during the week, he definitely made his presence felt. He had just ten plate appearances, but he was as impactful in the four-game series sweep of the Reds as anyone on the roster. Every playoff team needs a player like Kim to fill in and step up when called upon in a moment’s notice.
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Tatis went down with a shoulder injury in the middle of Saturday’s game. Kim came into the game and stepped into the batter’s box in a tie game in the bottom of the eighth. He launched a go-ahead two-run homer, sending Petco Park into a frenzy. It merited the curtain call of curtain calls for Kim as the fans chanted. Then, in the top of the ninth, he fittingly turned a double play that sealed the win.
Then on Sunday, he made a spectacular over-the-shoulder grab in the ninth inning to end the game.
The chant. The homer. The chain.
Petco went WILD after Ha-Seong Kim’s HR. pic.twitter.com/Ts5qTONDZZ
— MLB (@MLB) June 20, 2021
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.