Joe-Heyward tandem solidifies left field for Padres
AJ Cassavell
@AJCassavellPEORIA, Ariz. -- As with much of their roster, the Padres¡¯ left field situation is much clearer now than it was last month.
Jason Heyward and Connor Joe are on board -- and both have reported to camp ahead of Monday¡¯s first full-squad workout. The expectation is a platoon between the two, with the lefty-hitting Heyward starting against right-handed pitching and the righty-hitting Joe against lefties.
¡°We¡¯ve got Jason here for a reason, and we¡¯ve got Connor here for a reason,¡± said manager Mike Shildt. ¡°Obviously, there¡¯s a lefty and a righty.¡±
Then ShiIdt went on to point out that it might not always be so straightforward. There¡¯s a vacancy at DH -- and the possibility that both Heyward and Joe could be in the lineup together.
A number of factors are at play. Here¡¯s a look:
Heyward¡¯s role
For all intents and purposes, Heyward is the starting left fielder. He¡¯s the better defender of the two, meaning he¡¯ll play left when both are in the lineup. Plus, as the lefty-hitting half of a platoon, he¡¯ll naturally get more at-bats.
Ideally, the Padres will get the version of Heyward who thrived for Houston down the stretch last year (.756 OPS) compared with the version that mostly struggled with the Dodgers (.682).
¡°Just bring what I bring,¡± Heyward said. ¡°Be myself in the clubhouse, be myself on and off the field. [I¡¯ll] go play wherever I¡¯m needed in the outfield and do what I can to help others around me get better.¡±
Indeed, that was part of the calculus when the Padres signed the 35-year-old. He¡¯s a 15-year veteran who has reached the postseason in 10 of those seasons.
¡°You¡¯re talking about a winning player,¡± Shildt said. ¡°He¡¯s a proven guy, a real pro, and he's clearly going to get the opportunity to go play and take the opportunity in left field.¡±
Joe¡¯s role
A Poway native, Joe insisted he did not prioritize joining his hometown Padres in free agency.
¡°We honestly tried to leave geography out of it and tried to pick the best opportunity, for me and our family,¡± Joe said. ¡°It so happened it was the Padres.¡±
Then again¡
¡°I've obviously been a Padres fan my whole life,¡± he added. ¡°So this is a really cool full-circle moment.¡±
Joe has split time between first base and the outfield corners throughout his career, and he¡¯ll obviously receive starts in left against certain left-handers. As for first base, Shildt noted recently that Luis Arraez is viewed as the team¡¯s regular starter. But Joe will continue to get reps there.
Meanwhile, there¡¯s a case for Joe as the likeliest starter at DH come Opening Day.
The DH effect
¡°We don¡¯t have a set DH like we¡¯ve maybe had in the past,¡± Shildt said. ¡°Which is fine, great. We can pass it around a little bit, get guys off their feet.¡±
Heyward won five Gold Gloves in right field and was a backup center fielder last season. So the Padres can give Fernando Tatis Jr. or Jackson Merrill a DH day, knowing they have a capable replacement.
That being said, San Diego could clearly use another bat for its DH/bench mix. Maybe the answer is internal: Gavin Sheets and Mike Brosseau are non-roster options who have filled similar roles before.
Of course, the Padres had almost the exact same question marks at this point last spring. Jurickson Profar -- on roughly the same prove-it contract as Joe and Heyward -- became an All-Star. David Peralta and Donovan Solano were hugely valuable pieces. The Padres need more of that magic.
¡°We¡¯re going to have to have a couple surprises,¡± general manager A.J. Preller said of his left field/DH mix. ¡°Those are good guys that we feel like have a chance to surprise a little bit. But we¡¯re going to continue to look to see if we can add to the offense as well in the next couple weeks.¡±
Others in the mix
Tirso Ornelas, MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 18 Padres prospect, is looking to break through after eight years in the team¡¯s Minor League system. It¡¯s likelier that Ornelas will serve as outfield depth at Triple-A. But he could force his way into the picture with a strong spring performance.
Shildt also noted that the versatile Eguy Rosario is adding left field to his skill set. Rosario (and his 1.217 OPS in 46 career at-bats against lefties) is a candidate for a utility role on the bench. Same for Brandon Lockridge, whose baserunning and outfield defense make him a candidate for a bench spot.