Padres’ unsung hero just had a breakout game against the Pirates

Donnie Barrels did it again.

Drew Koch

San Diego Padres infielder Donovan Solano / Jess Rapfogel/GettyImages

Even a nearly three-hour rain delay couldn't slow down Donovan Solano and the San Diego Padres. The Friars only got one inning out of Dylan Cease, but were still able to run their winning streak to three games. The Padres are 8-2 in their last 10 games, while the Los Angeles Dodgers have lost six of 10. San Diego is creeping closer and closer to the NL West division lead, and Solano is big reason why.

AJ Preller struck gold with his early-season addition of Solano. The former Silver Slugger Award winner went unsigned during the offseason — a gross oversight on the part of every single GM. But Preller saw the need for another bat and brought Solano into the fold. On Tuesday, frankly a trend all season, Solano came up clutch.

Solano, who can play multiple infield positions, was the Padres designated hitter on Tuesday night at a soggy PNC Park. And hit he did. Solano went 4-for-5 on the night and accounted for four of the Padres six runs.

Padres’ unsung hero, Donovan Solano, just had a breakout game against the Pirates

With a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning, Solano's sharply-hit ground ball in between the Bucs' third baseman and shortstop found the green grass in the left field and allowed both David Peralta and Tyler Wade to score, putting the Friars up 3-0. But Solano wasn't done, as the Padres player added on in the ninth with another two-run single.

This is nothing new for Solano, who's proving to be one of the best pickups the Friars made this season. On the year, Solano is hitting .314/.366/.427. Those numbers dwarf his career-averages in every category. Over his last 15 appearances, Donnie Barrels is hitting .404/.415/.538.

The combination of Solano and Jurickson Profar have given Preller and Padres' front office far more, in terms of production, than anything they could have ever imagined after signing both players to incredibly inexpensive contracts.

Solano hasn't necessarily been a fixture in the Padres lineup, but he's been one of San Diego's most impactful bats when he's on the field.

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Drew Koch

Drew Koch has been an MLB Staff Writer since January 2024 and part of the FanSided Network since June 2018. Drew's contributions have been published on Blog Red Machine, Friars on Base, BoSox Injection, Lombardi Avenue, Wildcat Blue Nation, Motor City Bengals, and many other sites within the FanSided Network. When he's not cheering wildly for the Cincinnati Reds or the Kentucky Wildcats, Drew enjoys fishing, golfing, playing cribbage and other card games, listening to country and classical music, and spending time with his family and friends.