Who’s hot and who’s not for Padres: May 29-June 4
Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports
The Padres had a confounding week, alternating between dominating wins and maddening losses. Who is playing well?
The Padres finished a confusing week at 3-3. They scored at least six runs in each of the three wins, while being held to one run in every loss.
Who is hot and who is not?
Hot
Top 3 of the rotation
The only reason why the Padres are not completely dead and buried as of June is the top of the starting rotation. All of Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, and Joe Musgrove put together solid-to-spectacular starts this week. They combined for 19 innings without allowing a single earned run. They also added 19 strikeouts. They are keeping this team afloat.
Kim rates as one of the best defenders in all of baseball, according to him being 95th percentile for Outs Above Average. This week, he put together some solid at bats, batting .267 with an .829 OPS and stellar 137 wRC+. He also stole four bases, increasing his team lead at 11.
What a pickup Sanchez has been for the Friars thus far. With the Padres reeling to find any offensive production at the catcher position, Sanchez came in and immediately provided a spark. He hit two home runs in his first three games, already leading all Padres backstops. He added a .278 average and 151 wRC+ between catcher and designated hitter. Hopefully, he can ride this hot streak long enough for the Padres to get their other stars going.
Gary Sánchez is BACK pic.twitter.com/Cxy3c5YJKm
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 1, 2023
One star that had a superstar-like week was Tatis. He was the only one not named Gary Sanchez to hit a home run for the Padres this week, with two in Saturday’s 6-0 win over the Cubs. He paced the team this week with nine RBIs, eight of which came in two games alone. He finished the week with a .360 average and 1.167 OPS.
Two taters for @tatis_jr. pic.twitter.com/Axs1T2U2iB
— MLB (@MLB) June 4, 2023
Not
The All-Star shortstop is clearly not right. It has become well-documented that his wrist is an issue. A stint on the injured list may be required. There is virtually no pop coming from his bat. He hit .250 with one extra-base hit and zero walks.
Cronenworth really has never heated up this season. He is mired in a subpar season, with a .200 average and 91 OPS+. He went 2-for-24 with 10 strikeouts this week. This is a far cry from the two-time All-Star we have grown accustomed to seeing.
Machado finally came back from a two-week stint on the IL with a fractured hand. Unfortunately, he has picked up right where he left off in 2023, with abysmal at bats. He has just one hit (.091) in 12 plate appearances. We are yet to see the MVP form of Machado in 2023.
In Sunday’s frustrating loss, Weathers’ mistakes put the Padres behind the eight ball before they even could blink. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits, without being able to complete two innings. He owned a 12.71 ERA in two starts this week.
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.