3 San Diego Padres who need to step up before it's too late

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Time is starting to not be on the side of the 2023 San Diego Padres in terms of getting back into both the National League West race and the Wild Card race. It's not completely struck midnight as there are nearly three months left in the season.

Things have not been as planned for manager Bob Melvin, GM A.J. Preller, and the rest of the active roster. Underachieving is one of the most common words to describe them. If the Padres are going to make a run in the second half of the season, they will need some players to step up. Here are three players that need to step up before it's too late.

San Diego Padres need Yu Darvish to step up before it too late

Part of the success that the 2022 Padres had was in large part due to the right arm of Yu Darvish. The former Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs hurler went 16-8 in 30 starts last season with a 3.10 ERA in 194.2 innings pitched, while allowing 67 earned runs and striking out 197. He has not had nearly the same success this season.

In 14 starts, he was a 5-6 record with a 4.84 ERA, and 43 earned runs, which is high and he's on pace to give up more earned runs this season than last season. Darvish has been battling an illness, which forced him to miss a scheduled start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on their recent road trip.

Free agent Michael Wacha has been better than San Diego would have hoped he would be this season and Blake Snell has pitched better than his numbers say. He's just not received a lot of run support.

Darvish is better than his numbers say and Melvin needs him to turn it around once he is back on the mound. Wacha has been a saving grace for the Padres this season, but Darvish needs to turn his numbers around and be better if San Diego has plans on getting back in the race.

San Diego Padres v Cincinnati Reds / Andy Lyons/GettyImages

San Diego Padres need Gary Sanchez to step up before it's too late

When the 2023 season began, who thought that Gary Sanchez would be anywhere on any San Diego Padres list? Furthermore, who thought that Sanchez would be on a list of players that need to step up before it's too late?

Since arriving in Southern California, the former New York Yankees catcher has had an injection of offense into the lineup. After having a brief cup of coffee earlier this season with the New York Mets, Sachnez has slashed .206/.287./.443 with the Padres with seven home runs and 20 RBI.

He is not the same hitter he was just a few years ago for the Yankees and his production slipped last season after being traded to the Minnesota Twins. The case can be made that he is deserving of more of the right-handed DH at-bats over Nelson Cruz and maybe more over Matt Carpenter.

Sanchez also gives Melvin the opportunity to put him behind the plate as his catching is still on top of its game, something that is an added bonus in signing him. He also brings another veteran voice into a lineup loaded with them and his success with the Yankees can be beneficial to the Friars.

San Diego is looking for someone to step up before it's too late in 2023 and Sanchez is someone capable of doing it. This could end up being a smart signing by Preller before the season is over.

Division Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v San Diego Padres - Game Four / Harry How/GettyImages

San Diego Padres need Jake Cronenworth to step up before it's too late

When a player changes a position from one year to another, it can affect them at the plate as well. Signing Xander Bogaerts to play shortstop caused a position shuffle around the infield for the Padres that included Jake Cronenworth, who has struggled at the plate. He made the move from second base to first this season.

Cronenworth has not been the same hitter this season coming up in clutch situations as he has done in the past. His numbers have dipped this season, but with a lack of depth in the lineup, getting him going would be big for San Diego.

To compare his numbers, last season he slashed .239/.332/.722 with 30 doubles and 17 homers with 88 RBI. This season, he's slashing .208/.311/.656 with 11 doubles, seven home runs, and 28 RBI. I get it, there is the post-All-Star Break and two and a half months of baseball still left to be played, but Cronenworth is someone who can be a difference-maker in the lineup.

June was a tough month for Cronenworth who hit just .214 with one home run, seven RBI, and 17 strikeouts. He has stuck out 73 times already this season and is on pace to pass his total from last season of 131. He has many at-bats this season where it looks like he's guessing at the plate, not something he wants to be doing.

Never say never in terms of whether or not the Padres can get back into postseason contention, but they certainly need some players to step up on the mound and at the plate. If they fail to make the playoffs, could there be some change coming in 2024? Maybe you can make the case some are playing for a roster spot before the trade deadline.

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