San Diego Padres Hitters of the Month: May 2026

[Gottie Chavez]

The month of May was a rollercoaster for the San Diego Padres. After missing an opportunity to overtake the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West standings, they instead found themselves juggling second place with the Arizona Diamondbacks. While the pitching staff remained solid, the offense has still yet to find its footing. The Padres sit in the bottom five of the league for the least amount of runs produced as a team, and much of the blame has fallen on the team's “Big Three” of Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill, all of whom have gotten off to slow starts. More than months into the season, Tatis leads the trio with a modest .266 batting average, while the other two hover slightly above or below the .200 mark.

Their contributions have been highly missed as the Padres own a league-worst team batting average of .218. Yet despite their offensive struggles, San Diego remains 32-26 and holds the top National League Wild Card spot. While the lineup has been lackluster, a few unsung heroes have stepped up to make sure the team continues to capitalize on the advantageous positions created by their pitching staff and keep their heads afloat.

Ranking Padres' Best Hitters in May

#3: Fernando Tatis Jr.

While much of the concern surrounding the team has been focused on the struggles of their “Big Three”, Tatis did his best to take his name out of those conversations. In May, Tatis led the team with a .296 batting average and 29 hits, providing a much-needed boost to an offense searching for consistency. 

His month was highlighted by him hitting his first home run of the season on May 30, ending his career-long 55-game homer-less streak. While his performance garnered a lot of praise, there was still a glaring hole in his game that must be addressed: His bat went cold with runners in scoring position. Despite his strong batting average, Tatis only batted .200 with runners in scoring position and posted a -0.1 weighted runs above average (wRAA). While his performance definitely hints that he is moving in the right direction, the team will need him to start producing in scoring scenarios to take a true step forward.

#2: Miguel Andújar

In his first season in San Diego, Miguel Andújar continues to be a solid contributor to the middle of the lineup. While he hit just .225 in May, he still recorded 23 hits, four homers, 11 runs scored and 10 RBIs as he solidified himself as the team's number one option at DH. 

But the month was mostly used as an opportunity to endear himself into the fanbase. Andújar's breakout moment as a Padre came during the team's series against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. In the three-game series, Andújar homered twice, including a clutch solo shot in the team's 1-0 win in the opener. In a National League West that remains highly contested, Andújar’s production has helped bring life to an offense that is still trying to stay in the playoff picture while working out its kinks.

#1: Gavin Sheets

In a month that was overall bleak for the Padres' offense, Gavin Sheets emerged as one of the clubs most reliable contributors. In 24 games, Sheets batted .274/.411/.493 with a .904 OPS as he raised his overall batting average to .245. During a stretch where producing runs was scarce, his power proved invaluable. He hit five home runs while bringing in 11 RBIs and scoring 11 runs.

Most importantly, he consistently delivered in key situations. With runners in scoring position, Sheets had a batting average of .357 with two home runs and eight RBIs. His biggest moment came on May 13 against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning that propelled them to overcome a shutout and steal a win.

In a month that started with Sheets being absent from the lineup and losing at-bats to Ty France, the left-handed slugger quickly changed his perception within the organization. He finished the month batting as high as second in the lineup and is proving himself as one of the team's most dependable power options in 2026.

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