Padres Who Will Make the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby
The San Diego Padres added Manny Machado to be their franchise star in the offseason, but he won’t be the one representing the Padres in Cleveland. See who should:
San Diego Padres IF Manny Machado has gotten off to a slow start in the first half of his first season in America’s Finest City, but one of his teammates has stepped up and is in the conversation to get to their first All-Star games (next page).
They have two outfielders who have a very good chance of mashing home runs in the Home Run Derby. On Wednesday, they became the first pair of teammates in Padres franchise history to hit at least 20 home runs before the All-Star Break.
Home Run Derby Candidates
Franmil Reyes (OF)
Franmil Reyes is having a breakout season in his second year with the San Diego Padres. After a long stretch without a homer, Reyes hit one to right-center field, propelling San Diego to a series sweep over the Milwaukee Brewers.
He has tallied 20 home runs with 33 RBI and a .846 OPS.
Franmil might have one of the best personalities in the game and he pairs it with great power to all fields. I think fans would get a kick out of him hitting homers in Cleveland.
Hunter Renfroe (OF)
Hunter Renfroe is having an even better than his teammate. He has 23 home runs with almost double the RBI in addition to having a .634 slugging percentage.
He might not have as much power to the opposite field as Reyes, but he has a whole lot of it to left field.
Renfroe has hit homers above the Western Metal Supply Co. building at Petco Park twice. He is the only player to ever hit it there during a game, and he has already done it twice.
This season he has done more damage as a pinch-hitter. The best game of the Padres 2019 season was on May 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at home.
Against Kenley Jansen with the bases loaded, Renfroe unloaded on a fastball, sending it to the third deck of the Western Metal building which sent Petco Park into a frenzy.
I would not doubt Hunter Renfroe being able to hit homers to the top of the grandstands in left field.
I think Renfroe would have a better chance to win over Franmil because his swing seems to require less energy than Franmil’s.
Here is the San Diego Padres surefire candidate to make the All-Star Game.
All-Star Game
Kirby Yates (Closer)
Kirby Yates was struggling with his slider a few years back in the Bronx, but since he arrived in San Diego, Darren Balsley must have found something because he is turning into the best reliever in baseball.
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I see him as this season’s Edwin Diaz. Diaz seemed to be locking down saves for the Mariners in virtually every game, as they were winning by one run margins nightly.
San Diego seems to be doing the same thing. Yates has MLB-leading 26 saves, and he has yet to blow a save (26-26 in save opportunities).
He seems to have dropped the slider (has only thrown a handful of them in 2019) and picked up arguably the most devastating pitch this season in his splitter.
His splitter complements his fastball well because he has the ability to throw his fastball inside to hitters (especially lefties) and then strikes them out with his splitter down and away.
He is no doubt going to his first Mid-Summer classic, as Kenley Jansen (Dodgers), Will Smith (Giants), and maybe Josh Hader would make it for the Nationals League because there will be mostly starters pitching one inning apiece until the 8th or 9th inning when the relievers will pitch.
The San Diego Padres usually have relievers representing them in the game, as Brad Hand represented the Friars in 2017 and 2018 before he and Adam Cimber were shipped to Cleveland for Francisco Mejia.
Fernando Rodney was going to be the third representative for the Padres in 2016 when they hosted the ASG, but he was traded to Miami in late June.
Next. Big Papi: Latest Development Raises More Questions. dark
San Diego Padres fans love it when people bring that trade up because Rodney stunk the rest of the season and San Diego got back their current ace Chris Paddack.