In 32 games at Triple-A El Paso, the Padres’ top farm team, Bowen is slashing .277\/.333\/.615. His astronomical slugging percentage has been buoyed by 10 home runs, four triples and six doubles. <\/p>\n
Bowen’s isolated power of .338 (slugging percentage minus batting average) this season is in line with the career averages of Mark McGwire, Josh Gibson or Babe Ruth \u2014\u00a0the three greatest sluggers in MLB history by that metric. But it’s legitimate enough that he might be in line for a call-up.<\/p>\n
“Sure, it\u2019s the Pacific Coast League,” Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune wrote of Bowen<\/a>, “but he has legit power, runs fast and plays adept outfield.” <\/p>\n Acee goes on to suggest that Bryce Johnson, who’s 30 years old and out of options, might lose his job to Bowen unless an injury otherwise changes the Padres’ outfield picture.<\/p>\n “Johnson is a winning piece, and the Padres risk losing him because he cannot be optioned to the minor leagues,” Acee continued. “But he is the least-used player on the roster because he is a defensive replacement, does not slug and can\u2019t pinch-run for runners who aren\u2019t on base.”<\/p>\n Johnson is slashing .208\/.269\/.292 in 19 games. He’s batted only 24 times despite spending the entire season in the majors.<\/p>\n Johnson is a switch-hitter. Bowen is a right-handed hitter, and the Padres have plenty of those on their bench (Ty France, Nick Castellanos) and in their outfield (Ram\u00f3n Laureano, Fernando Tatis Jr.). Designated hitter Miguel Andujar also bats righty.<\/p>\n Other than that, the case for Bowen is fairly straightforward. The Padres are slugging .370 as a team, 24th in MLB, and could use exactly what Bowen brings to the table.<\/p>\n The Padres would need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move as well as a 26-man roster move to add him to their major league club.<\/p>\n Sign up for our free newsletter<\/a> and follow us on Facebook<\/a> and X\/Twitter<\/a> for the latest news.<\/p>\n
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