Fernando Tatis Jr. has done the job in right field, and he has done it at a Platinum Glove-caliber level. But the Padres know that’s not where he feels most at home.
Tatis has been outstanding on the grass, posting Outs Above Average in the 88th percentile across MLB and an arm strength mark in the 94th percentile. Even so, the superstar came up as an infielder and spent most of his first three seasons at shortstop. That’s the backdrop for a trade idea that would shake up San Diego’s roster and put Tatis back on the dirt every day.
The move centers on Jake Cronenworth. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee, the Padres understand that Tatis is happier at second base. They also know that if Cronenworth waived his partial no-trade clause, he has already “been mentioned by opposing general managers in potential trades for years.”
That kind of deal would open the door for Tatis to settle in full time at second, where he looked comfortable earlier this season when Cronenworth was sidelined by injury. In 52 games in the infield, Tatis hit .350/.411/.563 with a .974 OPS.
Tatis has made it clear how he feels about playing in the dirt. Earlier this season, he said, “They never let me mature there,” Tatis said to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “… I like being in the dirt.”
He expanded on that preference in April, pointing to the rhythm of the infield.
“It’s probably a little bit - I don’t want to say I’m more focused - but it’s just more quick action in there,” Tatis said. “You’ve got double plays.
You’ve got people on first, people on second. You just get more involved.”
The Padres began leaning on Tatis in right field in 2023 and beyond after signing shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who is 30 and set to make $25 million for the next 11 years. The shift also helped manage the wear and tear from Tatis’ broken wrist in 2022 and the torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder that followed.
If San Diego decides to make the change, there’s already a possible answer in right field. Chicago Cubs All-Star Seiya Suzuki would fit the bill, coming off a career-high 5.1 bWAR season and an OPS+ more than 30% better than league average. That would bring another strong bat into the lineup while giving Tatis the infield home he wants.
The complication is Cronenworth’s contract, which still carries four years and about $50 million. If the Padres don’t trade him, another route would be moving him to first base. But that path would likely keep them from bringing back Ty France in free agency.
In Other News...
Padres Prospect Justin DeCriscio Is Forcing His Way Onto The Radar
Justin DeCriscio keeps adding to his case at a time when the Padres are always looking for young players who can push their way into the conversation. After going undrafted in 2024 before landing with San Diego as a 10th-round pick in the 2025 draft, he has used the Arizona Fall League to show why his name is starting to circulate a little more loudly. The blend is obvious enough: some offensive progress, enough speed to stand out, and the kind of defensive flexibility that lets a club imagine different ways to use him.
The latest jolt came with a three-run home run, the sort of swing that gets attention beyond a prospect report. DeCriscio has also been moving around the field, which only adds to the sense that he can help himself by staying adaptable, but the bigger question remains how his bat holds up against more advanced pitching. For a player who has already taken an unusual path just to get drafted, this fall is becoming an important test of how far that late momentum can carry him. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Suddenly Have A Shot At A Power Bat Worth Debating
Hanshins decision to post Teruaki Sato has put a potential power bat on the market just as the Padres continue weighing ways to deepen their lineup. San Diego is among the teams considering a run at the slugger, whose appeal is obvious enough: he offers the kind of offensive upside that can change the shape of a batting order, but landing him would come with real financial baggage in both a contract and a posting fee.
For the Padres, the question is not simply whether Sato can hit, but whether his power translates cleanly to MLB pitching and where he would fit defensively. Manny Machado is expected to stay at third base, which means San Diego would have to map out another role for Sato if it moves forward, making this as much a roster puzzle as a talent evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Jackson Merrill Quietly Built A Padres Breakout Fans Should Notice
Jackson Merrills 2026 season ended with the kind of across-the-board production that usually turns heads around the league, even if it took a while to fully show up. During a year in which only six players reached the 25-homer, 25-steal mark, the Padres had two of them, with Merrill joining Fernando Tatis Jr. in that club after a strong finish helped reshape how his season looked on paper.
The first half was uneven enough that Merrills overall numbers still settled closer to league average than star level, but the second half told a different story. He hit .304/.339/.569 after the break, added 16 homers and eight steals, and closed the year with 26 home runs and 27 stolen bases, a reminder that his breakout came less with a bang than with a steady climb the Padres could not ignore. [Read more 🡒]