Alexi Amarista Staying Hot for Padres

Alexi Amarista is making the most of his playing time after being recalled from AAA in the wake of the injury to Yangervis Solarte. After another good night at the plate Friday night, he is now 7-15 for 2016 with 2 RBI including a go-ahead squeeze bunt in his first game back last week. He also threw in a stolen base and looked quite serviceable at third base for the Padres.

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In the 2 games he had played in El Paso, he had also gone 3 for 6 and by no means do we really expect a career .229 hitter to suddenly become the next Tony Gwynn. In a season that so far has seen a pretty dismal offensive performance from the Padres, it is welcome relief to see someone who seems to find holes with hits for once. He finished up Friday’s game against Arizona batting a cool .467.

He got two of the Padres three hits against Vincent Velasquez on Thursday, who struck out 16 Padres in his complete game shutout and went 5-11 overall in the Phillies series.

Wil Myers has two home runs for the Padres, but his average is now down around .200. Melvin Upton Jr. who batted cleanup Friday in an Andy Green effort to kickstart the offense, singled and stole a base Friday and is battling Matt Kemp for the Padres batting title for those players who started the season on the roster.

We don’t expect “The Little Ninja” to keep up this hitting forever, but it might just what the team needs to breathe some life into this lifeless offense. Corey Spangenberg is still struggling and under .200, perhaps after Solarte comes back (who was hitting well) Amarista can provide some more offense at second base, and just cover the bases until the entire offense is re-awakened.

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For now he is happy to be taking advantage of his opportunity. He knows where the team is and that you can’t press too much. Said Amarista to MLB.com: “We’re really going through some struggles, but it’s early, and you have to give things time. You can’t rush. You have to have faith in the process and faith in what you’re doing and not deviate from that. Things will play out.”