Padres lose versatile veteran after strong Triple-A showing in El Paso

It’s possible that Padres infielder Pablo Reyes triggered a July 1 opt-out clause in his deal. We don’t know this for sure. But the timing of the release would make that assumption make sense. He was released from his minor league deal with the Padres on July 2, making him a free agent and eligible to sign with any team.

Reyes appeared in 56 games for Triple-A El Paso and hit .310/.408/.491 with a 121 wRC+. That’s actually some pretty decent production from the 32-year-old. He also flashed solid plate discipline with a 13.6 percent walk rate and a 14 percent strikeout rate. 

Padres had no obvious path for Pablo Reyes despite his Triple-A production

It was highly unlikely we were going to see Reyes walk into Petco Park, especially with Jake Cronenworth’s return and the infield already being as crowded as it was. And despite his hot hitting, his major league track record says something very different. Across seven big league seasons with five teams, Reyes has hit .245/.305/.342 with a 76 wRC+. 

Reyes can move around the field. He has experience everywhere except catcher. However, it’s clear that the Padres couldn’t find a path clear enough for him on the big-league club despite his production.

To be fair, he’s not the only infielder who’s been having a blast hitting in Triple-A. Nick Solak, Jase Bowen, and Will Wagner all have had a great time hitting with El Paso, making it harder for talent to truly stand out. .What’s interesting is that it’s not like the Padres infield has been tearing the cover off the ball. A player who was performing well at the highest level of the minors is no longer in the organization, and the Padres still have the same offensive questions they had before he left.

The Padres find themselves in a stretch where every roster choice feels connected to a bigger question. Are they good enough to buy? Is the lineup going to wake up before it’s too late? Pablo Reyes leaving is not going to define this season. 

They also recently added Luis Rengifo into the mix. So even though it’s a quiet move that probably won’t have a ripple effect on the major league roster. It’s another potential backup plan walking out of the door. 

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