Padres’ left field hole early last season could become a comforting 2026 edge

With as stacked a roster as the Padres had heading into 2025, it was hard to identify weaknesses in the lineup. A core of Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackson Merrill seemed set to build off what they had accomplished the year prior.

However, with Jackson Merrill suffering an injury in April, combined with Xander Bogaerts struggling mightily in the first half, it was clear that other parts of the lineup needed to step up in their absence.

The Padres saw Gavin Sheets go on a run at the beginning of the year, but the linsanity run that the former Chicago White Sox guy saw ended near the All-Star break.

Ramón Laureano gives the Padres a reassuring left field floor they lacked early last year

It became evident to A.J. Preller that for the team to compete, they needed their outfielders to be everyday players. Headlined by Tatis and Merrill, left field was the only vacancy that needed to be filled.

So Preller did something about it…

What made Preller's trade with the Orioles so great was that Laureano wasn’t even the big part of the package, as San Diego wanted to add an immediate impact bat. O’Hearn met that criteria. But the truth is that Laureano turned out to be the bigger impact bat the Padres were seeking.

In the second half of the season, Laureano slashed .269/.323/.489 with 30 RBIs and filled what was a minor hole in the outfield.

Laureano, 31, had his $6.5 million club option picked up for the 2026 season. Not only does San Diego get a full season out of one of their biggest trade acquisitions, but Laureano gets to prove himself in what will be the final year of his contract.

With all the roster changes the Padres underwent in the offseason, it is comforting for them to know that they are keeping all their impact bats in the lineup. That includes Ramón Laureano, who is looking to build off an incredible second half of last season.