Padres get instant reminder of failed Luis Robert Jr. claim in clutch Orioles debut

Baseball giveth and baseball taketh away. Luis Robert Jr. needed one meaningful swing in an Orioles uniform to make the Padres’ failed waiver claim hurt. In the third inning of Wednesday’s game at Coors Field, Robert lined a two-run double into right field, scoring Jackson Holliday and Pete Alonso. His first Baltimore hit handed the Orioles a 3-0 lead. He finished the game 1-5 but the damage was already done. 

According to Kevin Acee, the Padres submitted a claim when the Mets placed Robert on outright waivers. Baltimore’s lower winning percentage gave the Orioles priority, but San Diego was prepared to take on approximately $5 million between Robert’s remaining salary and the buyout of his 2027 club option.

That detail is what’s important. The Padres recognized what was happening to their lineup and attempted to do something substantial about it. Luis Rengifo suffered a torn ACL, ending a terrific two-month run in which he hit .291 with a .784 OPS over 38 games for San Diego. Gavin Sheets then landed on the IL with a foot sprain.

Within a matter of days, left field and the DH  went from manageable to incredibly thin.

Samad Taylor can handle left field. Austin Hays can be fine in a platoon. The same goes for Dustin Harris and Jase Bowen. However, they need more coverage than that.

Padres wanted Luis Robert Jr.’s upside for their September lineup

Robert was hardly a safe $5 million purchase. He batted .223 with a .702 OPS in 58 games for the Mets and missed nearly three months with a lumbar spine herniation. The Friars would’ve been betting on talent, recent form and the possibility that a once-dynamic player could find his footing in San Diego.

There was at least some evidence behind that gamble. Robert slashed .288/.347/.576 with six home runs over his final 21 games in New York. A.J. Preller saw an opportunity to add that upside without surrendering another prospect from an already depleted farm.

Robert could not have duplicated everything Rengifo provided of course. But he still could have raised the ceiling.

His power and athleticism would have given the Padres another player capable of changing a game. His double against the Rockies can’t rewrite another troubling season. But after the Padres just lost a series to the Reds, they probably could’ve used him.

With the postseason eligibility deadline behind them, the Padres must find those swings internally. If Taylor, Hays and Harris produce, this missed claim will fade into a September footnote. If left field and DH remain quiet, every Robert highlight will pour a little more salt into it.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow