Which version of Gavin Sheets will the Padres get in September?

In his first season as a San Diego Padre, Gavin Sheets is having a career year. Entering September 8, the 29-year-old has posted career-highs in home runs (19), RBIs (63), OPS (.783), and hits (112). Surprisingly, his 0.8 bWAR is a career-best as well (he's posted negative WARs in his first three full seasons in the big leagues).

Some of Sheets' production came to a halt after San Diego traded for Ramon Laureano and Ryan O'Hearn ahead of the deadline. Those All-Star level players have taken up some of Sheets' playing time, but he's still found a way to be a solid contributor to a playoff team.

Sheets batted .412 in August with eight doubles and three home runs, ending the month on a seven-game hitting (13-for-25). This tirade still hasn't necessarily bought him being in the lineup every night, and he still needs to take advantage of every opportunity given to him.

Unfortunately for Sheets, there just isn't a consistent spot for him in the starting order. Almost every game feels like he is fighting to prove himself again, although he's done a good job at that. He began September on a bit of a skid, batting 0-for-11 with five strikeouts. This isn't a great audition for himself as he wants to have a role in the postseason with the Padres, and it almost felt like his tremendous August was a fading memory. Until Sunday.

On the road in Colorado, Sheets took full advantage of facing a struggling Rockies team and mashed his 19th home run of the year 451 feet in the top of the fourth inning.

Sheets went 2-for-5 in the 8-1 Padres win. It's these kind of performances that forces Padres fans to ask themselves: Which version of Gavin Sheets are we going to see in September? Can he carry over that career-best month into the final set of games of the regular season? Or will he fall back into that rut that was the origin of his loss of playing time? Either way, Sheets is trying out for playing time each time he gets out there. The pressure is there, but it could be good for him - his overall numbers suggest so.