Impending Samad Taylor, Miguel Andujar Returns Further Crowd Padres' Convoluted Bench Picture

[Randy Holt]

The San Diego Padres are poised to get a couple of regular contributors back into the mix soon. Samad Taylor is on rehab assignment while Miguel Andujar has begun a swinging progression on his way back from a broken wrist. That these two increasingly imminent returns are approaching adds a wrinkle to a roster that already featured another one earlier this week. 

When the Padres optioned Sung-Mun Song to Triple-A El Paso, they created a roster deficiency in the form of a lack of infield depth. The only supplemental infielder listed on the official roster is Gavin Sheets, who has been used only sparingly at first base for more than a month. Neither of Taylor or Andujar returning changes that calculus; Taylor hasn't appeared on the infield since 2023 and Andujar, while capable of handling an infield corner, is far from an ideal solution beyond the odd appearance once in a blue moon.

Which means that the Padres have some additional decisions ahead of them following Song's option. 

That Taylor is a lock for the roster upon his return speaks to how strong a year he was turning in prior to his stay on the injured list with an oblique injury. He had wRC+'d 135 over a 102 plate appearance sample with six steals courtesy of 93rd percentile sprint speed. Andujar, meanwhile, was always figured to be a key bat as a doubles machine that doesn't strike out a whole lot. 

Obviously, the expansion of rosters in September does have an impact here. Taylor's return is closer and will likely ignite a decision before we flip the calendar, while Andujar's return could come once there's already more wiggle room with which to work. At the same time, the standard protocol is, generally, a position player and a pitcher get added, bringing the total to 14 each. Many teams are inclined to call up a catcher to provide that position group with a little relief given its intense demand. As such, there's no guarantee that the Padres will use the expansion to answer the questions surrounding the impending roster decisions.

Which means that there's a couple of players that could be in danger of losing a roster spot in the coming days or weeks in the way that we just saw Song surrender his. The outfield picture is already particularly crowded, with six players listed on the roster for that position group. 

Of that group, you have your stars (Fernando Tatis Jr. & Jackson Merrill) and at least one player in Luis Rengifo that appears to have played his way into being a lock for the stretch run on the strength of a 139 wRC+ in the second half (to say nothing of his ability to jump to the infield in a pinch). That leaves Jase Bowen, Austin Hays, and the newly added Dustin Harris as those who could be at risk of finding their way off the roster upon the respective returns of Taylor & Andujar. 

Bowen has had the longest run on the Padres roster, largely due to his ability to hang in centerfield in Jackson Merrill's stead. Most of his work, though, has come as a late-inning replacement as the team has had to hide his bat as much as possible. His wRC+ is a paltry 32 with a walk rate under three percent against a strikeout rate over 36 percent. There just isn't much offensive upside at present, and the fact that he has options remaining likely means that he'll be the one sent to El Paso first upon the return of the team's two injured players. 

It's not as if Austin Hays has offered too much certainty either, though. Since his big pinch-hit homer to introduce himself in San Diego, Hays has gone on to hit .250 and reach base at a .308 clip in 24 plate appearances. The fact that he's a right-handed bat more capable of providing power than Taylor, however, could grant him a longer look. He's certain to stick around longer than Bowen, at the very least. 

Harris has been with the team for the shortest amount of time (two games, seven plate appearances), but was scorching in Triple-A prior to his selection to the roster. He'd slashed a gaudy .350/.422/.617 in 120 plate appearances for the Chihuahuas, which could offer enough intrigue to give him more staying power than even Hays, despite the team's need for a lefty killer off the bench. With Taylor himself a right-handed hitter, they at least wouldn't lose the balance that Hays offers off the bench.

Assuming that September is used to recall a catcher or Song, at least two of these names are going to find their way off the roster in the short term. Bowen will, by all accounts, be the first to go. The decision between Hays & Harris isn't going to be an easy one, though, unless one separates himself from the other. Either would have to be designated for assignment and could seek their next bench gig rather than accept an outright assignment back to El Paso. Which means that the Padres have some very real decisions ahead of them as they work to sort out what's left of their outfield-heavy bench in the coming weeks.

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