Padres Lineup Shakeup: Xander Bogaerts Benched as Playoff Race Heats Up
San Diego benches Xander Bogaerts for Jake Cronenworth at shortstop as the Padres fight to keep their slim wild-card lead over Arizona.
The postseason race is getting tight, and the San Diego Padres are running out of patience. Ahead of Saturday’s crucial game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, manager Mike Shildt made a major statement by benching high-priced star Xander Bogaerts. The veteran will watch from the dugout while Jake Cronenworth handles the defense at shortstop.
It is a bold strategy. The move comes right after Friday’s frustrating loss, which cut San Diego’s lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks to just half a game for the final National League wild-card spot. Bogaerts has had a tough run of luck lately. Just yesterday, he was robbed of a home run by a spectacular defensive play in Tampa. Today, he will have to wait for an opportunity to contribute off the bench.
The Steep Decline of Xander Bogaerts
This benching is a clear sign of Bogaerts’ ongoing struggles. Now in his 14th Major League season, the 33-year-old is having the worst year of his career. His current .640 OPS is a disappointing 20 points lower than his first full season with the Boston Red Sox back in 2014. Since joining the Padres, he has not looked like the elite hitter who won multiple Silver Sluggers in the American League.
Over his four seasons in San Diego, Bogaerts is batting .260/.328/.388, good for a .716 OPS. That is a steep drop-off of nearly 100 points compared to his stellar ten-year run in Boston, where he posted an .814 OPS. The season started with some promise, as he logged a strong .784 OPS during the opening month. However, his performance plummeted below .595 in the following months before showing minor signs of life in August. Through Friday, he is hitting just .213/.341/.347 over 91 plate appearances this month.
This marks the first time Bogaerts has sat out since July 26. Back then, the Padres had infielder Sung-Mun Song on the roster to cover for him. But Song has since been sent down to Triple-A El Paso to get more consistent at-bats, leaving the Padres to get creative with their defense.
Cronenworth Steps Into the Spotlight
Jake Cronenworth is moving back to shortstop today. It is his first start at the position since April 11, right before a long concussion sidelined him. Cronenworth has been solid since returning from the injured list, batting .269/.337/.360 with three home runs over 51 games. While his .697 OPS is not eye-popping, his defensive versatility gives the Padres a reliable option up the middle.
With Cronenworth shifting to shortstop and batting second against right-handed pitching, Shildt has reshuffled the rest of the lineup. Luis Rengifo will play second base and bat eighth, while Dustin Harris gets the start in left field, batting ninth. The designated hitter duties go to Gavin Sheets, who bats seventh, and catcher Luis Campusano bats sixth.
A Tense Pitching Matchup at Tropicana Field
On the mound, right-hander Walker Buehler gets the start for San Diego. Buehler is finding his groove at the right time, posting three consecutive quality starts with a 2.00 ERA over his last 18 innings. That recent stretch has doubled his quality start total for the entire season. However, he has struggled on the road this year, posting a 5.21 ERA across 12 starts away from home. Buehler has faced the Rays three times in his career, all of them last season, going 18 innings with a 4.00 ERA.
The Padres’ offense will face a familiar face in Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez. The former Padre earned his first All-Star nod this season and has shown incredible control, leading all qualifying starters by averaging just 1.3 walks per nine innings. Interestingly, his strikeout rate of 5.3 per nine innings is his lowest mark since returning from his stint in Japan. Since leaving San Diego as a free agent after the 2023 season, Martinez has thrown 18 innings against his former team, posting a 4.50 ERA.
With oddsmakers listing the Rays as -127 favorites and setting the over/under at 8.0, the Padres need a win to keep their lead in the wild-card race. Benchking Bogaerts is a high-stakes gamble, but with only a handful of games left in the season, San Diego cannot afford to wait for their highly-paid star to find his swing.
