Padres' Defense Is Holding It Together As Offense and Pitching Struggle

[Randy Holt]

When it comes to the offense and pitching staff (the latter of which specifically applies to the rotation), the San Diego Padres are floundering. Despite keeping up with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West standings through more than a month to open 2026, they're currently mired in third place with very little optimism of working themselves out of a late-May-early-June swoon anytime soon. That doesn't mean it's all bad, though. 

In addition to the bullpen, which has been a predictable strength of the roster, the team's defense has been much-improved. That progression comes despite the team routinely spending time lingering in the bottom half of the league in defensive output over the last handful of seasons. No position seemed to be immune to the struggle on that side of the ball.

Take 2024, for example. The Padres ranked 22nd in the league in Fielding Run Value (-16). FRV represents the most logical route toward evaluating the collective, given its comprehensive approach to not only glove work but also throwing value (i.e., arm strength, accuracy, etc.). Jackson Merrill led the way that year with a FRV of 10, with Ha-Seong Kim's 4 FRV ranking second on the team. From there, it was a steady stream downhill. Regulars Xander Bogaerts (-1), Jake Cronenworth (-4), Luis Arráez (-4), and Jurickson Profar (-6), all finished under the average threshold by the metric. The catching situation was nothing short of a disaster, with Kyle Higashioka (-2) and Luis Campusano (-13) weighing down the group further. 

The 2025 campaign demonstrated a continued struggle on that side of the ball. Even with a rapid ascent up the FRV board from Fernando Tatis Jr. (9) and Xander Bogaerts (7), the group still finished 17th with a -2 FRV as a collective. Cronenworth and Arráez were below average at two positions each, while trade deadline acquisition Ramón Laureano managed that feat at all three outfield positions. Meanwhile, Manny Machado checked in at -4 FRV, while Martín Maldonado was the caboose at -6. Even with steady work behind the plate from catching mate Elías Díaz, the catching in particular was another source of struggle that compounded with modestly-below-average play elsewhere to give the Padres a firmly below-average defense. 

Things have shifted heavily in 2026, however. The Padres are fourth in the league with a FRV of 17. That trails the first-place Chicago Cubs (27) by a heavy amount, but is just one notch below second-place Boston's 18. It's the result not only of improvement at key positions, but a progression by multiple players who had struggled over the last couple of years. 

Catching represents the most obvious area of improvement, especially given the struggles of individual backstops over the last couple of seasons. This year, however, it's an area of strength. Each of Freddy Fermin (2) and Rodolfo Durán (2) are comfortably above average in FRV, while Luis Campusano (0) is checking in at exactly average in his own right and demonstrating significant improvement defensively from two years ago. Durán's work has helped to ensure stability in Campusano's absence, as well. 

While that group is the most notable among the improvements, a couple of changes behind made to the roster configuration have also helped. The obvious one is moving Tatis from full-time work in right field to regular work at the keystone. Across 2024 and 2025, the Padres' -7 FRV at second base ranked 25th in the league. Tatis, though, is working with a 4 FRV in 225 innings there while continuing to offer above-average play in right field (2 FRV). As a result, they're now seventh in the league in their defensive performance at the position. 

First base is also a key area of improvement. Ty France was coming off a Gold Glove season in Minnesota when the Padres added him on a minor-league deal this winter. His 5 FRV is pacing the team and proving to be a massive improvement on the combination of Arráez, Cronenworth, et al. from last season. Only two teams (Chicago & Atlanta) have a higher Fielding Run Value at that spot than the Padres do in their cumulative first base work. 

Those key changes come in addition to improvements from Manny Machado (3 FRV) and continued stability at shortstop from Xander Bogaerts (also 3 FRV). Ramón Laureano had also been above average in this regard prior to his injury. It's possible that there's a positioning component — Machado, for example, has moved in a couple of feet on his average start point — but there isn't any one change that appears to be indicative of the more individual improvements manifesting on the roster. The full-time run for Fermin and change in personnel at first base are obvious factors yielding big benefits, as well as Tatis' move to second base. Regardless of the how, there isn't any doubt that this is a much better defensive team than it has been the last couple of years. 

Of course, how much that matters in the standings remains to be seen. Pitching and defense are always noted as the pillars of contention. The Padres have all of one and half of the other at present, given their deficiencies in the rotation. The defense isn't going to prop them up against their counterparts in the NL West, but it could certainly be a separator if the team is able to overcome its present shortcomings when at the plate and starting the game on the mound.

View full article