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2026 Padre Season
#161 · June 5, 2026, 4:40 pm
A 32-year old OF with recent hip surgery is not someone you would aggressively go after in free agency, but Ramon Laureano may be the exception, at least for the Padres. He played every game hard even though you could tell his body was not right. What we saw at the beginning of the season, was what everyone expected until the injury became too debilitating and greatly affecting his hitting. Still, when he was in the OF he was running as fast as he could to make plays, including diving stops.
If he gets a clean bill of health after surgery, I really want him back. I fell he has a couple of more good seasons in him and I really liked the grit and determination he brought to the clubhouse. Thank you Ramon and hope to see you in a Padres uniform again next year!
#162 · June 5, 2026, 6:08 pm
Quote from Randy Manese on June 5, 2026, 4:40 pmA 32-year old OF with recent hip surgery is not someone you would aggressively go after in free agency, but Ramon Laureano may be the exception, at least for the Padres. He played every game hard even though you could tell his body was not right. What we saw at the beginning of the season, was what everyone expected until the injury became too debilitating and greatly affecting his hitting. Still, when he was in the OF he was running as fast as he could to make plays, including diving stops.
If he gets a clean bill of health after surgery, I really want him back. I fell he has a couple of more good seasons in him and I really liked the grit and determination he brought to the clubhouse. Thank you Ramon and hope to see you in a Padres uniform again next year!
I could see the Padres consider re-signing Laureano ... probably on a lower end / incentive base deal. Padres will need some hitters with Laureano, Andujar, and France FA and not much to step into a starting role. A healthy Laureano would fit right into that LF role for 2027.
For 2026 might see Sheets getting the bulk of LF with France locking in 1B and Andujar locking in DH. Then more as needed sort 2B/LF with Tatis in one and rotate Song, Bowen, Taylor, and Johnson to see steps up or fall down ... at least until the trade deadline.
#163 · June 5, 2026, 6:12 pm
Stammen said Campusano is in AZ and could be back in 1-2 weeks ... hopefully bring a bat.
Brito was activated from the 60 day IL after a number of very good starts for SA. Placed in EP. Might be a factor in some SP falters down the stretch. Laureano was placed on the 60 day IL to make 40 man roster room.
Cronenworth is "better" but no sense near returning to baseball activities.
#164 · June 6, 2026, 11:37 am
Just finished reading this. Manny is clearly frustrated, but the attitude expressed here is disappointing. On some level I agree that analytics have gone a bit overboard. This reminds me of Hosmer though. Just another guy stubbornly clinging to an approach that isn't working now that some of his physical abilities have deteriorated. Manny has been awful at the plate by any metric going back to the end of last season. This isn't what I want to see from the leader of the clubhouse. I have to think having that kind of attitude from Manny has a negative impact on the rest of the team.
#165 · June 6, 2026, 12:10 pm
As far as I can tell the same analytical folks are providing the data for the Padres as they did to start 2025. The first 4 months of the 2025 season (especially July) Machado was having an excellent offensive season. Same analytics / same manager (Shildt) / same hitting coach (Rodriguez) and his performance tanked in the last two months. Hard to think in August he starting following the analytics and that cause his decline.
Just following that though into this season ... and still struggling ... somehow thinking it is analytics or even the new manager / hitting coach ... the problem pre-dated all that.
Will add that Machado is not one to follow any advice that does not fit his model ... just his character being stubborn ... so doubt he would have altered his successful approach to accommodate the analytical staff or if he did he would have reverted to his approach by now.
Don't have the answer ... but aging can impact both the physical and mental skills ... 33 is not old for most but never know when the decline starts for an individual. Can he improve ... expect so ... but return to the levels of the former Machado ... maybe not.
For the record I was against the 11 year extension in 2023 taking him to age 41. Likely a Peter Siedler call since he and Machado seemed aligned.
#167 · June 8, 2026, 6:01 am
After 6 very good seasons (4 playoff runs) my mind his having a very tough time analyzing such a complete meltdown by almost everyone in the offense ... not just a slump ... not just a bit below the norm ... but a total collapse lasting this long and going this deep. We are not dealing with a full turnover of players or a bunch of rookies ... but a team of successful veterans collectively collapsing.
In 2025 the Padres were basically in the upper third in MLB offenses and now are dead last. All-Stars are hitting below .200 ... ugly OBP.
Losing is bad but losing and being boring is even worse. I appears the early season wins based on come from behind games driven by the "fringe" players has run its course while pitching is now showing cracks and declining. Not seeing any indication of a mass / team turnaround.
Did note that yesterday PETCO cleared out well before game end ... not usual for the fans ... and may be a sign that the casual fans are not being entertained and are reacting with their feet. High season ticket numbers may keep the attendance totals up but keep an eye out for seats filled.
As I fluctuate between optimist (before the season thought an easy playoff team and even early in the season thought only a short slump) and pessimist (this performance will continue and knock the Padres out of any playoff thoughts in the next 1-2 months with a major selloff). Worse (in my mind) is we may be entering a multi-year rebuild when you look at the players who will be FA after the season, opt out players, injuries that may end the careers of some returning, and no near term prospects ... and layer in a potential 2027 lockout and new CBA impacting how roster construction is done ... oh yeh, the returnees are getting older but not better (see Machado, Bogaerts, Cronenworth). Don't care how much money the new owners have and might be willing to spend ... potentially too many holes and not enough elite players to turn this team around.
Is that pessimistic enough?
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MrPadre19
#168 · June 8, 2026, 1:58 pm
Imagine having to stay up till 10pm just for the start of the games and seeing this horrible product night in and night out.
I just don't have it in me to "not" watch but it's certainly getting harder to say that.
Don't think I've missed an entire game in about 4 years
#169 · June 8, 2026, 3:52 pm
Looking ahead ... because nothing really more to say about 2026 at this point. MLBTR has the current edition of the top FA at the end of the season (basically a very under-whelming group overall).
#4 ... Michael King who has an opt out and because he turned down at QO last year cannot get a QO again ... so better on the FA market. They are thinking maybe a 4 year deal. (going to be an interesting call by King since he would be opting out of $28MM and the right to opt out again from a $30MM for 2028. Will not know what he would get as a FA ... so, how to balance potentially getting a guaranteed four year deal vs in hand 2 years / $58MM. If he is "good" for the rest of the season ... makes the call more difficult.)
#9 ... Adrian Morejon (only 28) considered the best FA reliever and maybe one of the top 3-5 LHRP in the league. Padres not likely to give a QO to a set-up RP. Maybe a 3 year deal in the high teens AAV. (If Preller follows his past Morejon will hit FA ... and he will get a better deal than the Padres want to pay).
No other Padres on their list ... a bit surprised Adam was not even on the honorable mention but he also will be a FA that is likely to move on given he is heading to the back side of this 30s but other teams need his production more than the Padres with Miller - Rodriguez - Estrada - Morgan.
No thought about Canning, Buehler, Giolito, Marquez from the pitching or Laureano, Andujar, France from the offense ... but all will be FA ... all are low cost ... Padres will have to replace them all. If bad ... don't want to re-sign them ... want to re-sign them if good BUT contracts will be much inflated.
I guess an opt out question on Pivetta ... his contract is due to drop from $20MM to $14MM ... so if he returns and is decent ... he likely will opt out ... if he does not return or returns and really struggles he might not opt out (that could be good or bad for the Padres).