The Padres are at a point where Ethan Salas can’t just be treated like a future idea. If San Diego wants him to matter in 2027, the club has to figure out now where his plate appearances are supposed to come from.
That starts with the obvious question: how often is he catching, and when does he get his chances at DH? If the Padres believe Salas can grow into a key part of their next contender, those opportunities need to be built into the offseason plan. They’ll also need the patience to stick with him when the results get messy.
Salas gave the organization plenty to work with. Between Double-A and Triple-A, he hit .296/.374/.448.
Then he got 16 regular-season games in San Diego and posted a .256 average with a .737 OPS. He also caught three postseason games.
That’s enough to make the winter conversation more complicated, not less. In his end-of-season comments, as reported by AJ Cassavell, general manager A.J.
Preller made clear that nothing will be handed out. Nobody is guaranteed anything, and Salas will have to earn his spot.
That’s a reasonable stance. The Padres are trying to win, and September didn’t answer every question about whether Salas is fully ready. Preller also signaled that Craig Stammen and his staff could handle the playing-time decisions next year.
Still, that’s exactly where the uncertainty lives. Every move San Diego makes this winter changes the at-bat count.
A hitter who needs regular DH work can easily squeeze Salas out on the days he isn’t behind the plate. Keeping three catchers could be part of the answer, as long as each role actually adds up to meaningful playing time.
Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano give the Padres some flexibility, and both are eligible for arbitration. Cassavell noted that San Diego could also look to trade from that catching depth. At the same time, carrying all three could help manage Salas’ workload without boxing him in.
The phrase “Everybody will get some time” sounds different when one of those guys is only starting once a week.
Then comes the tougher part: what happens when Salas hits a rough patch. If the Padres want him to improve against big-league pitching, they need to let him keep seeing it. That means not treating every slump like a reason to restart the competition at his position.
There are ways to protect the roster and still keep Salas on the field. The Padres can add enough offense around him to absorb the uneven stretches.
They can use a veteran catcher to help with the workload. They can adjust how often he catches and DHs as the season unfolds.
Salas has already put himself in position to matter in 2027. Now the Padres need to make sure their offseason leaves room for that to happen.
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