Padres’ Ethan Salas call-up left Craig Stammen with a playing-time problem

Calling up Ethan Salas was the easy part. Finding somewhere to play him seems to be the real test. The Padres promoted their top prospect into a crowded catching room during a playoff race with no breathing room. Luis Campusano has earned his playing time. Freddy Fermin remains a trusted part of the tandem. And Salas needs major-league experience, but the Padres can’t hand September games to a 20-year-old prospect just because his arrival sparked excitement.

Craig Stammen has to somehow manage three realities with one lineup card. Through September 10, Salas had appeared in five of the Padres’ eight games since his promotion. He started three times, twice behind the plate and once at DH and went 0-for-12 with five strikeouts.

Despite the 0-for, Salas clearly doesn’t have an actual role. We can blame Stammen for the irregular playing time. That would also let the front office off far too easily. A.J. Preller called up a player whose developmental needs don’t fit the job the organization actually had available. Stammen looks like he’s stuck with a prospect and a puzzle.

Padres handed Craig Stammen a prospect without an obvious lane

The Padres also had a practical reason to add Salas’s bat after injuries thinned their bench. Salas could catch occasionally, receive at-bats at DH and give Stammen more freedom to pinch-hit for Campusano or Fermin. That flexibility benefits the Padres more than it benefits Salas.

With a third catcher available, Campusano can slide into the DH spot while Salas handles the pitching staff. Stammen can replace a catcher during a favorable offensive situation without spending the rest of the night worried about health. Salas creates options even while sitting in the dugout.

That’s fine for a veteran backup. It’s strange for one of the most important young players in the organization. He left regular Triple-A work for a role that can change by the inning. 

Craig Stammen’s job is to protect the Padres’ Wild Card spot

Stammen has a legitimate defense. San Diego entered its September 10 off-day at 78-68, riding a four-game winning streak and leading Arizona by half a game for the final NL Wild Card spot. Every lineup card matters right now.

Campusano was hitting .284 with an .851 OPS through September 10 and had developed into a far more complete catcher. Fermin has also helped turn a longtime Padres weakness into a position Stammen can trust. Neither player deserves to lose meaningful work because the front office promoted a famous prospect.

Salas’ Petco Park debut captured the awkwardness perfectly. Stammen sent him up for Fermin against Yankees right-hander Michael Fulmer. Aaron Boone countered with left-hander Brent Headrick, and Salas struck out on three pitches.

The move made sense on Stammen’s chessboard. It provided a miserable assignment for a young left-handed hitter searching for his first major-league hit.

The Padres need a workable plan that would establish a predictable rhythm. Give Salas scheduled catching and DH starts, primarily against right-handed pitching. Let him prepare for specific pitchers instead of wondering each afternoon whether he will start, pinch-hit or spend nine innings watching. That gives Salas something resembling repetition. It keeps the veteran tandem involved. And it also prevents Stammen from making a new developmental decision every time he fills out the lineup.

September call-ups should accomplish something clear. They can strengthen the active roster, accelerate a prospect’s education or prepare the organization for next season. Their current half-role tries to touch all three without fully committing to any of them.

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