The Padres made a number of strikes earlier than Wednesday’s matchup with the Mariners. Most notably, San Diego optioned catcher Luis Campusano to Triple-A El Paso. The Friars additionally positioned Martín Pérez on the paternity record whereas recalling outfielder Brandon Lockridge and lefty reliever Tom Cosgrove.
It’s the primary optionally available task for Campusano in two years. He has performed briefly within the minors on harm rehab assignments however hasn’t been demoted since 2022. It appeared final season as if Campusano had damaged out as San Diego’s reply behind the dish. Whereas a thumb harm price him the majority of the yr, he raked at a .319/.356/.491 clip over 49 video games. The Friars felt comfy letting Gary Sánchez stroll and turning to Campusano as their season-opening starter.
The 25-year-old has appeared in a career-high 91 video games. He hasn’t produced on both aspect of the ball, main each FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference to charge his play as barely under alternative stage. Campusano has stumbled to a .227/.281/.361 batting line by means of 299 plate appearances. Whereas that is likely to be tolerable if he have been taking part in nicely behind the plate, his defensive grades have been very poor.
Campusano has logged 670 2/3 innings behind the dish. Defensive Runs Saved has him 15 runs under common, the worst mark amongst catchers. Statcast has graded him harshly for every of his pitch framing, blocking and throwing. Campusano is tied for the fifth-most handed balls (six) and has been behind the plate for 36 wild pitches.
Solely Shea Langeliers, Will Smith and Logan O’Hoppe have been behind the plate for extra wild pitches — they usually’ve all logged upwards of 900 innings. That’s not completely on Campusano, after all, however it doesn’t replicate particularly nicely on his work blocking pitches within the filth. Campusano has additionally thrown out simply eight of 49 tried base stealers, a 16.3% clip that’s about 5 factors under league common.
These struggles have naturally opened up taking part in time for backup catcher Kyle Higashioka. Acquired from the Yankees because the fifth piece within the Juan Soto blockbuster, Higashioka has had the perfect season of his profession. The veteran has drilled 16 homers in solely 228 plate appearances. Regardless of a .225 common and a dismal .269 on-base mark, the ability has made him a productive hitter. Higashioka has a league common caught stealing charge, though he’s additionally had a tough time as a receiver. He’s tied for the MLB lead with 9 handed balls in solely 575 2/3 innings.
San Diego had rolled with a Campusano-Higashioka pairing for a lot of the season. They added 2023 All-Star MVP Elias Díaz late final month after he was launched by the Rockies. Díaz will again up Higashioka in the interim. That looks as if skipper Mike Shildt’s most popular duo because the Friars attempt to safe a Wild Card berth.
Higashioka and Díaz are each impending free brokers. Apart from Campusano, the one different catcher on the 40-man roster is Brett Sullivan, who initiatives as a depth participant. Whereas the Friars absolutely hope for high prospect Ethan Salas to finally seize the place, they will’t depend on the 18-year-old for a minimum of a number of seasons. That factors in direction of Campusano competing with an out of doors acquisition — probably a re-signed Higashioka or Díaz — for the job subsequent yr.
The timing of the demotion, presumably not coincidentally, gives the Padres with some flexibility in that regard. Campusano has one minor league choice remaining. A participant makes use of an choice yr when he spends 20 days on an optionally available task throughout a season. Rehab stints don’t depend in direction of that point. There are 19 days left within the common season, so Campusano will nonetheless have an choice remaining going into 2025. Meaning the Padres would be capable of maintain him in El Paso for one more yr with out exposing him to waivers.
Campusano is on observe to achieve arbitration for the primary time in his profession. He entered the season with one yr and 144 days of service. He’ll earn a full service yr this season regardless of being despatched down. Evan Drellich of the Athletic reported in 2022 that gamers who’re optioned greater than three days after Labor Day proceed to obtain service time throughout that task. That simply positions Campusano to qualify for early arbitration as a Tremendous Two participant, though his wage will likely be modest sufficient that he shouldn’t be in peril of getting non-tendered. He’s controllable for one more 4 seasons after this one.
As for Lockridge, he will get his first big-league alternative. San Diego added him to the 40-man roster at first of September however had saved him on optionally available task with El Paso. Acquired from the Yankees on the deadline within the Enyel De Los Santos deal, Lockridge has hit .306/.410/.397 over 402 plate appearances on the high minor league stage. The speedster has stolen 46 bases and been thrown out simply six instances. He’ll possible work as a pinch-runner and defensive specialist in his first MLB motion.
