{"id":135763,"date":"2025-06-27T22:05:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T22:05:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/135763\/"},"modified":"2025-06-27T22:05:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T22:05:33","slug":"front-office-swings-and-misses-in-left-field-costly-to-padres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/135763\/","title":{"rendered":"Front office swings and misses in left field costly to Padres"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

When the Padres parted ways with Jurickson Profar<\/a> this past offseason, it was clear the team needed to find production in left field\u2014urgently, but also at a bargain.<\/p>\n

Yet, five months later, San Diego\u2019s front office finds itself exposed: no team in Major League Baseball has received less production from its left fielders in 2025.<\/p>\n

Among the slew of free-agent left fielders available during the offseason, the San Diego Padres had multiple viable options to replace the production they lost from Jurickson Profar, yet they managed to miss (or pass?) on almost all of them. Profar himself was re-signed late in the process at the end of 2023 on a one-year, $1 million deal and went on to post a 3.6 WAR season in San Diego \u2014 the highest among all left fielders \u2014 before signing a three-year, $42 million deal with the Braves this past offseason.<\/p>\n

The Padres could have pursued other free-agent outfielders who have proven to be significantly more productive than the duo of Jason Heyward<\/a> and Connor Joe<\/a>,\u00a0 both of whom were brought in and later jettisoned.\u00a0The plan clearly lacked foresight and has forced the team to cycle through fringe options like Tyler Wade<\/a>, Oscar Gonzalez<\/a>, Gavin Sheets<\/a> (who would probably be best used at 1B\/DH exclusively), and Brandon Lockridge<\/a> in left field. With their total LF WAR sitting at \u20130.3 as of mid-June \u2014 fourth-worst in baseball \u2014 the Padres\u2019 offseason approach has become an organizational failure, one acknowledged by their recent internal discussions about trading for another left fielder.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Two additional free agent signings further underscore the gap between available talent and what the Padres ended up with. Righthanded bat Harrison Bader<\/a> signed with the Twins for $6.25 million and has delivered a surprising 1.8 WAR in 68 games so far in 2025. While not a perfect fit for left field, Bader would have offered speed, defense, and a higher ceiling than any of the internal or low-cost options the Padres have used. Alex Verdugo<\/a>, signed by the Braves for only $1.5 million, had a strong start but has since fallen off sharply, producing only 0.1 WAR. While his drop-off justifies the Padres\u2019 hesitance, he still represents the type of upside swing the team didn\u2019t even attempt.<\/p>\n

In the end, the front office\u2019s failure to secure a competent, everyday left fielder \u2014 despite a market full of low-risk, productive options \u2014 has become one of the biggest missteps of the Padres\u2019 2025 campaign. Combined with the poor returns on their own signings and lack of internal development at the position, this mismanagement has left a glaring hole in a lineup that can\u2019t afford one.<\/p>\n

Here are the key free agent outfielder signings from the 2023\u201324 offseason in chronological order, based on their signing date:<\/p>\n

Nov. 20, 2024\u00a0\u2013 Austin Slater<\/a> signed with the Chicago White Sox (1-year, $1.75M)<\/p>\n

Dec. 10, 2024\u00a0\u2013 Tyler O\u2019Neill<\/a> signed with the Baltimore Orioles (3-year, $16.5M\/year)<\/p>\n

Dec. 10, 2024\u00a0\u2013 Michael Conforto<\/a> signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1-year, $17M)<\/p>\n

Dec. 15, 2024\u00a0\u2013 Bryan De La Cruz<\/a> signed with the Atlanta Braves (1-year, $860K)<\/p>\n

Jan. 17, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Jesse Winker<\/a> signed with the New York Mets (1-year, $7.5M)<\/p>\n

Jan. 23, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Jurickson Profar signed with the Atlanta Braves (3-year, $14M\/year)<\/p>\n

Jan. 27, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Dylan Carlson<\/a> signed with the Baltimore Orioles (1-year, $975K)<\/p>\n

Jan. 30, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Austin Hays<\/a> signed with the Cincinnati Reds (1-year + option, $4M)<\/p>\n

Jan. 31, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Garrett Hampson<\/a> signed with the Cincinnati Reds (1-year, $1.5M)<\/p>\n

Feb. 7, 2025\u2013 Harrison Bader signed with the Minnesota Twins (1-year, $6.25M)<\/p>\n

Feb. 8, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Connor Joe signed with the San Diego Padres (1-year, $1M)<\/p>\n

Feb. 11, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1-year, $6.5M)<\/p>\n

Feb. 11, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Jason Heyward signed with the San Diego Padres (1-year, $1M)<\/p>\n

Feb. 16, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Tommy Pham<\/a> signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1-year, $4.025M)<\/p>\n

Feb. 24, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Mark Canha<\/a> signed with the Kansas City Royals (1-year, $1.4M, MiLB deal)<\/p>\n

Mar. 20, 2025\u00a0\u2013 Alex Verdugo signed with the Atlanta Braves (1-year, $1.5M, MiLB deal)<\/p>\n

The Padres\u2019 choices stand out for the wrong reasons. Of the two veteran outfielders signed, Heyward and Joe, not one has provided positive WAR. Both have now been released or traded.<\/p>\n

Here is the table of 2025 WAR leaders from this free agent class as of June 22, 2025:<\/p>\n

Player
\n2025 Team
\n2025 WAR
\n2025 Games Played<\/p>\n

Harrison Bader
\nMIN
\n1.8
\n68<\/p>\n

Austin Hays
\nCIN
\n1.1
\n31<\/p>\n

Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez
\nLAD
\n0.6
\n63<\/p>\n

Austin Slater
\nCWS
\n0.2
\n30<\/p>\n

Jesse Winker
\nNYM
\n0.1
\n24<\/p>\n

Alex Verdugo
\nATL
\n0.1
\n50<\/p>\n

Michael A. Taylor<\/a>
\nCWS
\n0.3
\n66<\/p>\n

Dylan Carlson
\nBAL
\n0.0
\n36<\/p>\n

Tyler O\u2019Neill
\nBAL
\n0.0
\n24<\/p>\n

Jurickson Profar
\nATL
\n-0.3
\n4<\/p>\n

Bryan De La Cruz
\nATL
\n-0.3
\n16<\/p>\n

Garrett Hampson
\nCIN
\n-0.1
\n27<\/p>\n

Jason Heyward
\nSD
\n-0.6
\n34<\/p>\n

Connor Joe
\nSD\/CIN
\n-0.6
\n29<\/p>\n

Mark Canha
\nKCR
\n-0.9
\n41<\/p>\n

Tommy Pham
\nPIT
\n-0.8
\n51<\/p>\n

Michael Conforto
\nLAD
\n-1.1
\n67<\/p>\n

By passing on higher-upside targets like Harrison Bader or Jesse Winker, and choosing bargain-bin veterans, the Padres got what they paid for: virtually nothing. Worse, they failed to adequately replace Profar\u2019s production. Even in a down year, Profar\u2019s 3.6 WAR from 2024 dwarfs anything San Diego\u2019s 2025 left fielders have done.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Production by Padres Players as Left Fielders in 2025<\/p>\n

Player
\nPA
\nAVG
\nOBP
\nSLG
\nHR
\nRBI
\nwRC+
\nWAR<\/p>\n

Gavin Sheets
\n69
\n.283
\n.348
\n.483
\n3
\n12
\n132
\n0.4<\/p>\n

Brandon Lockridge
\n44
\n.275
\n.326
\n.350
\n0
\n4
\n95
\n0.2<\/p>\n

Oscar Gonz\u00e1lez<\/a>
\n42
\n.195
\n.214
\n.220
\n0
\n2
\n21
\n\u20130.3<\/p>\n

Jason Heyward
\n81
\n.181
\n.238
\n.292
\n2
\n10
\n49
\n\u20130.3<\/p>\n

Tyler Wade
\n29
\n.192
\n.222
\n.269
\n0
\n5
\n37
\n\u20130.1<\/p>\n

Tirso Ornelas<\/a>
\n12
\n.091
\n.167
\n.091
\n0
\n1
\n\u201321
\n\u20130.1<\/p>\n

Jose Iglesias<\/a>
\n2
\n.000
\n.000
\n.000
\n0
\n0
\n\u2013100
\n\u20130.1<\/p>\n

Connor Joe
\n1
\n.000
\n.000
\n.000
\n0
\n0
\n\u2013100
\n0.0<\/p>\n

That group has combined for just 0.2 WAR, while San Diego\u2019s left field unit as a whole ranks 24th in MLB with a collective \u20130.3 WAR. For context, teams like the Tigers, Guardians, and Nationals are each getting 1.8 WAR or better from their left fielders, highlighting just how far behind the Padres are at the position.<\/p>\n

The situation has only worsened over time. Oscar Gonz\u00e1lez, who was part of the early-season outfield rotation, was placed on unconditional release waivers on May 22 and eventually agreed to a two-year, $2 million deal with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan\u2019s Nippon Professional Baseball. The Padres granted the release to allow Gonz\u00e1lez to pursue the overseas opportunity. On June 22, Brandon Lockridge was optioned back to Triple-A El Paso, further thinning the club\u2019s internal depth.<\/p>\n

Tirso Ornelas might still represent a long-term solution, but he\u2019s currently sidelined with a wrist injury. Just days ago, East Village Times questioned why the Padres continue to hesitate in giving Ornelas a legitimate shot, especially amid persistent struggles in left field. When healthy, his skill set could provide a cost-effective, homegrown solution at a position of need.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, the Padres are left relying on a makeshift mix of Tyler Wade, Gavin Sheets, Trenton Brooks<\/a>, and Bryce Johnson<\/a> in left.<\/p>\n

Jason Heyward\u2019s DFA may impact the clubhouse\u2014where he was valued as a veteran leader\u2014but his .494 OPS in 85 at-bats made the move inevitable. The front office\u2019s gamble on aging depth options like Heyward and Connor Joe has clearly not paid off.<\/p>\n

With two months remaining before the trade deadline, the Padres are now forced to fix a mess they created through short-sighted offseason planning and failed roster execution.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

J.J. Rodriguez is a passionate sports writer making his debut with East Village Times. Born and raised in Southwest Florida, he is a father of four and an eight-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran who has lived in Southern California since 1996. A devoted fan of the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Florida Gators, J.J. brings a lifetime of sports enthusiasm to his writing. He\u2019s currently pursuing a degree in elementary education and enjoys life as an empty-nester with his wife of 19 years, Lisa.<\/p>\n

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