{"id":456265,"date":"2026-09-07T14:16:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T14:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/456265\/"},"modified":"2026-09-07T14:16:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T14:16:12","slug":"padres-daily-a-lot-of-campusano-thrice-deep-crones-oppo-zone-morejons-workload","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/456265\/","title":{"rendered":"Padres Daily: A lot of Campusano; thrice deep; Crone’s oppo zone; Morej\u00f3n’s workload"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning,<\/p>\n

However this season turns out for the Padres, it seems destined to be remembered as the year Luis Campusano broke out.<\/p>\n

And it is simplifying things only a bit to say this was the series Campusano won.<\/p>\n

You can read in my game story (here<\/a>) about his crucial home run and the crucial runner he threw out in yesterday\u2019s 4-3 victory over the Yankees, which came two days after he threw out three runners trying to steal and hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning.<\/p>\n

Yes, the story also includes recounting of the three home runs the Padres hit against Gerrit Cole at the start of the game.<\/p>\n

But then they did virtually nothing until Campusano\u2019s home run leading off the seventh inning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so happy for him,\u201d Fernando Tatis Jr. said yesterday. \u201cJust the confidence that they have (given) him to just go out there and perform. You know, it was something that was missing a little bit back in the years. But this year, they \u2014 we have built together as a team, especially him, giving him a chance to, don\u2019t be afraid to make mistakes, just swing the bat. And I feel like that has (given) him confidence to show the quality of a baseball player that he really is.\u201d<\/p>\n

That is at the crux of Campusano\u2019s emergence.<\/p>\n

He is playing. And he has been empowered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, he\u2019s gotten the opportunity to go out there and be him,\u201d Manny Machado said. \u201cIn the past, it\u2019s been a little bit different. \u2026 I think we\u2019ve always seen it. We always knew that he had it in him. So, to finally kind of see it all stick together, it\u2019s been nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

I wrote in spring training (here<\/a>) about the concerted undertaking by people at all levels of the organization to pour support into Campusano. Chief among those people was first-year manager Craig Stammen, both for his sincere belief in Campusano and his role in building him up after the previous two managers had essentially given up on the young catcher.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means a lot,\u201d Campusano said of Stammen believing in him. \u201cMeans everything. We played together, so he knows me like the back of his hand. And there wasn\u2019t any time to try to get to know me. It was just like, \u2018I know who you are. I know what you\u2019re capable of doing, and let\u2019s see what you got.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Stammen gives Campusano most of the credit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the biggest change is he\u2019s able to interact with everybody else,\u201d Stammen said. \u201cAnd he\u2019s not as much tunnel vision about, \u2018What do I have to do to be good today?\u2019 He\u2019s, \u2018What can I do to help the team be great?\u2019 And I think his overall view of being able to be that type of person in the clubhouse has then, in turn, changed his individual game.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Catchers coach) Kevin Plawecki deserves a ton of credit for that. Everybody in the organization that continued to believe in him and not cast him to the side deserve a lot of credit. And then the new people that we brought in the organization immediately believed in him and saw the talent that he had, and the future that he could have on our team. And I think that has played into Campy feeling valued, feeling like he has a place in this organization. And he has a great place in this organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

The improvement<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old Campusano is not the first guy to take time to develop as a major league catcher.<\/p>\n

And for as long ago as his big-league debut was, he wasn\u2019t given a lot of time to develop before this season.<\/p>\n

Campusano played first major league game on Sept. 4, 2020. That was as a designated hitter. His first start behind the plate came in \u201821, and yesterday was just his 174th start at catcher.<\/p>\n

His lack of MLB service time (three years, 169 days) is a product of multiple injuries and perceived inadequacy.<\/p>\n

There is a prevailing belief, from the clubhouse to the front office, that Bob Melvin and, especially, Mike Shildt gave up on Campusano too early and destroyed his confidence.<\/p>\n

Not that them not trusting him to catch for contending teams was entirely without merit.<\/p>\n

Earlier in his career, Campusano had lapses in concentration, struggled with some aspects of defense and did not connect with pitchers. Some of them did not want to throw to him back in 2021, \u201923 and \u201824.<\/p>\n

As discussed in my story from February, there may have never been a player that decision makers in the organization were more split on than Campusano.<\/p>\n

But it was clear this spring that was not the case. Even more clear was the strides Campusano had made in communication skills. And it turns out, he continues to improve defensively as well.<\/p>\n

His ability to help control the running game has grown immensely.<\/p>\n

Campusano has thrown out 14 would-be base stealers in 41 chances this season after throwing out eight of 41 in 2024 and one of 41 from 2021 to \u201823.<\/p>\n

His arm strength is not any better than it was before this season, and it does not rank anywhere near the top of the league. But he has done the work with his stance, his feet and his transfer.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust letting the ball travel and staying under control has been a big focus with him, and just not getting too quick when you see a good jump,\u201d Plawecki said. \u201cHis move is a lot quieter. It\u2019s allowing him to stand under control and make a good throw.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watching video of Campusano between 2021 and \u201824 (he did not play catcher in the major leagues in \u201825) showed he used four different stances.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main focus starting in January with the two of us was just to quiet up everything,\u201d Plawacki said. \u201cIt was, one, finding a stance that worked and being able to be consistent in that stance. Everything goes off of that between receiving, blocking, and throwing. It allowed him get in a position to feel comfortable to throw. \u2026 I think mainly it\u2019s just being consistent in his stance and being in a constant good position to throw the baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Staying hot<\/p>\n

Campusano has hit before, but 2026 has been his most extended period of getting on base and slugging.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

He has also developed into something of a catalyst.<\/p>\n

Campusano is batting .372 with a 1.029 OPS<\/a> in Padres victories this season. That is the highest average and highest OPS on the team. His hottest periods at the plate this season have coincided with the Padres\u2019 success.<\/p>\n

He hit .394 with a 1.293 OPS while the Padres went 17-4 from April 4 through 27. He hit .316 with an .857 OPS while they went 21-7 from July 24 through Aug. 23. He is 6-for-19 with two home runs over the past six games, during which the Padres have gone 3-3 after losing five of their previous six games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think when he\u2019s an offensive catcher, it adds another dynamic to our lineup that helps a lot,\u201d Stammen said. \u201c\u2026 Having that extra guy kind of a little lower in the lineup that can produce a run at any moment is a big deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

So much good stuff<\/p>\n

Three batters, 15 pitches, three home runs.<\/p>\n

That is how the Padres began their half of yesterday\u2019s first inning.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere (is) not a better start that you can have to a game,\u201d Jake Cronenworth noted.<\/p>\n

(That\u2019s a real thinker by the Michigan grad.)<\/p>\n

But the Padres\u2019 first three batters didn\u2019t just homer.<\/p>\n

Tatis hit a ball the other way to right field. Cronenworth hit a ball the other way to left field. Machado hit a ball to center field.<\/p>\n

\u201cAgainst one of the best pitchers in the game,\u201d Machado said, \u201cI mean, you don\u2019t really see that.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was potentially the most significant part \u2014 that they were facing Cole, who went into the game having allowed two home runs in his previous seven starts and with a 2.36 ERA in that span.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was really fun, especially the quality of the starter that we were facing today,\u201d Tatis said.<\/p>\n

Padres Back-To-Back-To-Back To Start The Game pic.twitter.com\/cmgPPKHDQB<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Codify (@CodifyBaseball) September 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Cole was the 15th starting pitcher the Padres have faced in the past 24 games who has above-average stuff, based on Stuff+<\/a> rating. (The Padres are 13-11 in that span.)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve run into a stretch of really good arms here these last few weeks,\u201d Cronenworth said. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to stop. Where we want to inevitably get to, it\u2019s not going to stop there either. This is where we need to show our preparation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, it is a good thing the Padres hit four home runs yesterday.<\/p>\n

Because they had just seven hits.<\/p>\n

It was the fifth consecutive game in which the Padres have had seven or fewer hits.<\/p>\n

They were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position yesterday and are 14-for-92 (.152) in that situation over their past 12 games.<\/p>\n

Those are just a couple of the recent symptoms displayed by the Padres\u2019 streaky offense.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Playoff race<\/p>\n

The Padres are right where they were when the series against the Yankees began, a half-game behind the Diamondbacks in the race for the final National League postseason spot.<\/p>\n

It appears to be a two-team race for the sixth seed, as the Phillies are 4\u00bd games up on the Diamondbacks and the Marlins and Cardinals are 3\u00bd games behind the Padres.<\/p>\n

It has only been the Padres or Diamondbacks holding the final spot seed since Aug. 17. The Padres were in that spot from Aug. 17 to 29, but there have been five lead changes in the past eight days.<\/p>\n

The Padres have 19 games remaining, the Diamondbacks 18. They play their final three games against each other Sept. 25-27 at Petco Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like we\u2019ve been playing these games since the trade deadline (or) a week-and-a-half, two weeks before the deadline,\u201d Cronenworth said. \u201c\u2026 And now it\u2019s a race with the D\u2019backs. Every game is important. We\u2019ve got 19 left, and it\u2019s the 19 most important games.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

20\/20 the hard way<\/p>\n

Tatis\u2019 homer was his 20th of the season, making him and Jackson Merrill the first Padres teammates to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.<\/p>\n

There have been just 17 20\/20 seasons (by 11 players) in franchise history.<\/p>\n

Even though this is Tatis\u2019 fourth time to make the 20\/20 club, his doing so this season might make his 2026 membership one of the most unlikely ever.<\/p>\n

All of his home runs have come in his past 86 games after he hit zero in his first 55 games. None of the other 20\/20 Padres ever went 55 games into a season without a homer.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of hard work, a lot of challenge,\u201d Tatis said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s how you bounce back, you know. You don\u2019t sit down and just take it for granted, or just, cry yourself to sleep. You try to figure it out and you trust yourself. You build confidence, and I feel like at the end of the day, this game will reward you. Sometimes. Sometimes it won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Opposite Day<\/p>\n

It seemed nothing could quite match the excitement the Padres felt when Cronenworth did something he had not done before.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought it was going to happen,\u201d Cronenworth said. \u201cSo, the fact that it happened is insane in itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big deal?<\/p>\n

It was the first of Cronenworth\u2019s 85 career home runs to go to the opposite field.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve always been talking (about it),\u201d Tatis said. \u201c\u2026 It only took him seven years. We were going crazy because of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cronenworth had trailed only Isaac Paredes (110) and Didi Gregorius (121) on the list of players with most home runs without any to the opposite field since Statcast began tracking such things in 2015.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was trying to go for the record with most pull-side homers without an oppo one,\u201d Cronenworth said with a smile. \u201cBut we ended that today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here is a look at where all 85 of Cronenworth\u2019s home runs have landed:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

More work<\/p>\n

All three Yankees runs yesterday came in the eighth inning against Adrian Morej\u00f3n.<\/p>\n

He has allowed\u00a0 five runs (four earned) in his past three games (2\u2154 innings) after allowing three in his previous 18 games (22 innings).<\/p>\n

Morej\u00f3n, who has thrown a career-high 76\u2154 innings, acknowledged the workload but said that wasn\u2019t the problem yesterday.<\/p>\n

His inning went like this: strikeout, infield single; walk; double on an 83 mph groundball to bring in the first run; infield single to bring in the second run plus an ill-advised and wild throw to first base to allow the third run to score; caught stealing; lineout.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, that\u2019s a weird game,\u201d he said. \u201cI know I walked Goldschmidt on four straight balls, but other than that, I don\u2019t feel like that\u2019s really good contact on the three base hits. I think the throw to first, that\u2019s emotional. When I throw the ball, I was thinking, \u2018Oh, you need to hold the ball and keep the game slow.\u2019 But, you know, sometimes things happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s good for me. I finished the inning and (kept) Mason (Miller) for the ninth. That\u2019s the most important (thing) for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Morej\u00f3n, who has a 2.93 ERA, is one of 10 relievers in the major leagues to have made fewer than 67 appearances and thrown more than 69 innings this season. He has worked more than one inning 24 times, five more than he did all last season.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019ve pitched a lot,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel good. Last game in Cincinnati, I think that\u2019s the worst I felt. I know I still threw 100 (mph), but in Cincinnati I didn\u2019t feel like I threw 100. But today and (Friday) against the Yankees, it feels better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Morej\u00f3n said he is focusing on \u201cbetter recovery\u201d and talking with the athletic training staff more than ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has pitched a lot this year,\u201d Stammen said. \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt about it. And there\u2019s times where that workload just comes up when you don\u2019t expect it. Today it was just the walk and then the swinging bunt which he throws into right field. But for the most part, he\u2019s still throwing the ball really well. And we got to try to give him as many days off when we can give him a day off. Try to not warm him up as much prior to him going in the game as much. I think those are things that are on the top of my mind to help him out as much as we can to navigate the rest of the season. He\u2019s been such a durable, important piece for our bullpen. We\u2019re going to need that going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tidbits<\/p>\n

You can read in Jeff Sanders\u2019 notebook (here<\/a>) about Nick Pivetta\u2019s scheduled return to the rotation and what the Padres expect from him tonight against the Nationals. Jeff also wrote in that story about Michael King\u2019s start against his former team, which ran his scoreless streak to 21\u2154 innings .
\nThe Padres have won just four of their past 12 games. And it is true their pitching has had some inauspicious moments in that time. But when Padres pitchers\u00a0 have been good lately, they have been brilliant. Despite allowing seven or more runs three times, the Padres have an MLB-low 2.80 ERA over those 12 games. (That is a 2.93 ERA in 61\u2153 innings by the starters and a 2.63 ERA in 48 innings by the relievers.)
\nThe Padres stopped a four-series losing streak against the Yankees and are now 3-7 in series against them. That does not include the 1998 World Series.
\nMachado\u2019s home run on Saturday made him the only active player in the major leagues with at least 25 home runs in 11 seasons. His home run yesterday, the 395th of his career, made him one of 30 players ever to have that many seasons with at least 26 home runs.
\nTatis and Machado were also involved the last time the Padres hit three home runs in an inning. That was in the bottom of the eighth inning on Sept. 18, 2024, and Donovan Solano\u2019s homer followed ones by Tatis and Machado. That 4-0 victory over the Astros was also the most recent of the six times in Padres history all four runs they scored in a game came on homers.
\nMachado increased his on-base streak to seven games. He is batting .417 (10-for-24) and getting on base at a .516 clip during that stretch.
\nMachado\u2019s home run yesterday was his 14th since 2015 with a launch angle of 18 degrees or lower. That is second most in the major leagues in that span behind Giancarlo Stanton\u2019s 23. For context, Machado\u2019s home run was 55 feet off the ground at the apex of its flight. That is at least 20 feet lower than most home runs.
\nThe Padres remain last in the major leagues with 59 first-inning runs. Their 18 home runs in the first inning are tied for 26th.
\nThe Padres won a pair of one-run games against the Yankees after having lost their previous six one-run games.<\/p>\n

All right, that\u2019s it for me. Early holiday game time today (2:10 p.m. PT).<\/p>\n

Talk to you tomorrow.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t