3 bold San Diego Padres predictions for July

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The 2023 season continues to be a disappointing one for the San Diego Padres. At 37-43, San Diego sits 10.5 games behind the first place Diamondbacks, and 7.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot.

It's way too soon to call this season over considering the month of June isn't over, but losing faith in a team that just lost two of three at home against the lowly Nationals and the first two in Pittsburgh isn't something I'd criticize anyone for.

The Padres have life, but barely. It's time for them to heat up and make the playoff push we all expected them to make. The month of July might be their last chance to do that before the trade deadline. Here're some bold predictions for what could be their most important month of the season.

1) Padres third baseman Manny Machado finally puts up a Manny Machado type of month

We've been waiting and waiting for the inevitable Manny Machado breakout. I say it's inevitable because of the player Machado is. He's simply too good to have as poor of a season as he's been having.

Through the first month and a half of the season, Machado was slashing .231/.282/.372 with five home runs and 19 RBI. He had a paltry OPS of .654, and looked like a shell of the player he was. It certainly felt too soon to give him that mega-extension that San Diego dished out in the offseason.

Since landing on the injured list after getting hit by a pitch, Machado has been a whole lot better. But it did take a little while.

Machado returned from the IL on June 2 against the Cubs and went hitless in four at-bats. He actually had one hit in his first 11 at-bats after being activated. Machado then had a three-hit game and from that moment on, he has been great.

The Padres third baseman has slashed .289/.320/.464 in 24 June games with four home runs and 14 RBI. His .784 OPS in that span is a whole lot more of what we're used to.

I expect Machado to remain hot and continue to put up those solid numbers in the month of July. We'll finally see him play at an All-Star level for a sustained period of time in 2023. Will it lead to wins? It's hard to say. San Diego has gone just 10-10 with Machado playing well right now. it certainly can't hurt, can it?

San Diego Padres, Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr. / Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

2) The Padres will end the month of July with a record over .500

As the list goes on, the takes will only get hotter. It'll be tough with the schedule ahead, but I'm predicting the Padres will end the month of July over .500.

Right now, they're six games under .500 with two more games to play this month. They play the Pirates once more after losing again last night, and go to Cincinnati this weekend for what should be an entertaining three-game series. Let's say the Padres continue to underwhelm and win on Thursday in Pittsburgh while losing the final game of the month against the Reds. That keeps them at six games under .500 entering July.

With them ending this month at six under, San Diego will have to go at least seven over in July to end the month above .500. It's a daunting task, but this team does have to get hot eventually.

The Padres play some tough, but beatable teams to start July. The Reds are red-hot, but the Padres do host the Angels and Mets after that. The Angels have had their highs and lows, and the Mets have been playing brutal baseball for a while now.

The Padres will have to beat tough opponents like the Phillies, Blue Jays, and Rangers, but also face some easier ones like the Tigers and Pirates. It'll be a challenge for sure, but a 16-9 month for a team as talented as this one shouldn't be completely out of the question.

San Diego Padres designated hitter Matt Carpenter / Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

3) Padres DH Matt Carpenter will be wearing another uniform by the end of July

The Padres signed Matt Carpenter to a two-year deal worth $12 million. The deal includes a player option for the 2024 season worth $5.5 million. It's safe to say that the deal has not gone the way A.J. Preller had hoped.

Carpenter was almost out of baseball before inking a deal to join the Yankees. He took off in the 47 games he played there, smacking 15 home runs and posting an OPS of 1.138. He hasn't been close to the same hitter as a Padre,

Carpenter is slashing .182/.311/.331 with four home runs and 26 RBI. He has a .634 OPS and that only appears to be going more downhill.

Last season, Carpenter did a ton of damage in just 47 games and 154 plate appearances. This season, he's played in 58 games already and has 181 plate appearances ... yet he has done nothing close to replicating his numbers from the Yankees days. Nobody expected him to be among the best hitters in the game, but Carpenter wasn't supposed to be a guy with an OPS+ of 82 either.

Carpenter had acted as the primary DH against right-handed pitching, but has lost that spot to Rougned Odor. With the Padres lineup being as inconsistent as it has been, it wouldn't be shocking to see them upgrade that DH spot as Padres DHs rank 25th in the league with an 88 WRC+.

San Diego certainly won't find a taker for Carpenter's contract so, if they do choose to upgrade the DH spot, it's hard to see him lasting with this team past the deadline.

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