Padres’ hitting core is finding their groove at the perfect time before playoffs

About a week ago, fans were getting concerned about the offensive production from the Padres’ lineup. San Diego was falling well-below .500 in September, but three players - who are seen as the stalwarts of the lineup - are providing more value at the plate to alter that momentum. While these three have seen their fair share of struggles in September, it seems that the “big bats” are finally back as a unit.

Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill are getting hot as Padres' postseason berth nears

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Heading into 2025, Tatis was considered an MVP candidate, and he showed that in the first month of the season. But since then, the 26-year-old's production has been incredibly volatile, as he has had months where he’s been elite but also had some where he has completely sputtered.

In the month of September, Tatis has seen his batting average decline, but his slugging percentage has increased. He has hit four homers this month, something he has struggled to do this year. These numbers indicate that he has been much more aggressive at the plate and has seen positive results. If Tatis can keep this up down the line, this lineup as a whole is even more dangerous to pitch to.

Manny Machado

In his first ten games to start the month, Machado was in his biggest slump of the season, batting .098 while striking out 10 times. To make matters worse, the team seemed to play down to his level, as the Padres went 4–6 over this stretch. But the veteran third baseman has started to heat up against the Colorado Rockies, as he went 2-for-3 in each game with a pair of homers. 

The veteran presence that Machado brings, I feel, fuels this team, and when he isn’t on point, neither is the team. We can only hope that it isn’t a mirage and that he eventually finds the version of himself that has kept the Padres afloat.

Jackson Merrill

Jackson Merrill’s second season in the league has been injury-plagued, to say the least, as the 22-year-old hit the IL for a third time in August with a sprained left ankle. When he returned on September 1, he went 1-for-13 (.077) with four strikeouts over the course of his first five games back.

However, in his last seven games, Merrill has turned a corner and is now batting .296. More importantly, his slugging over this span is up to .852 with an OPS north of 1.000, not to mention four home runs to his name. As Padres broadcaster Don Orsillo refers to him as “The Kid,” it will be interesting to see if he can ride a hot bat into October.