San Diego Padres new manager Mike Shildt speaks during a news conference to announce his hiring, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
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Donovan Solano is a journeyman utility player who has been one of the San Diego Padres’ most dependable players this season. Solano has received fewer starts and at-bats since Xander Bogaerts returned from the injured list last month. As the team gets ready for a competitive race for a National League postseason position, that has to change.
Veteran Padres Infielder Donovan Solano Deserves Larger Role for Stretch Run
Solano’s name is among the least discussed regarding key Padres players this season. After all, the team boasts several big-name superstars and breakout All-Stars.
Regardless, Solano has quietly become an invaluable contributor to the Padres with his bat and glove. The veteran infielder has been part of seven organizations since making his major league debut in 2012, but appears to have finally found his perfect role as a Padre this year.
Padres Donovan Solano in two-strike counts this season:
➡️ 124 wRC+ (4th in MLB)
➡️.339 wOBA (6th in MLB)
➡️.312 Batting Avg. (1st in MLB)
He just refuses to give away at-bats or give in when behind in the count.
Dennis Lin of The Athletic recently wrote about the organization’s focus on building a more contact-heavy lineup capable of grinding out at-bats and putting the ball in play. The team’s blockbuster trade for Luis Arráez earlier this season is a perfect example. That is their new team identity, and Solano fits in perfectly with it.
Despite his contributions, Solano’s playing time has diminished, thanks mainly to Bogaerts’ aforementioned return from the IL. However, a potential solution to that problem can get Solano a bigger role on the team going forward.
Some Shuffling In The Infield
Solano’s starts for the Friars have mostly come at third base while Manny Machado handled designated hitter duties early in the season as he continued to recover from elbow surgery last year. But Solano can play anywhere on the infield, which gives manager Mike Shildt an abundance of options for structuring the defense.
One potential option is for the Padres to bench their struggling starting shortstop, Ha-Seong Kim. The former KBO star is primarily known for his defense, and his development in that area culminated with winning a Gold Glove Award last year. His bat, though, is a different story.
Kim, 28, has been unable to blossom into a consistent hitter in his three-and-a-half seasons in San Diego. Additionally, his defense has regressed slightly this year. He can still make some jaw-dropping plays occasionally, but he also has 11 errors so far in 2024, the highest amount he has collected in a season in his career.
Bogaerts Could Return To Familiar Role
Kim’s demotion would allow Bogaerts to move from second base back to shortstop, the position in which he thrived for a decade with the Boston Red Sox.
Jake Cronenworth can then slot in at second base, allowing for a Solano/Arráez platoon at first base; they can also share DH duties.
A slightly different option could be putting Solano at second, keeping Cronenworth at first, and making Arráez exclusively a DH. Arráez revealed after Saturday’s win over the Miami Marlins that he has been battling through a torn ligament in his left thumb since June. Despite the injury, Arráez is on track to win his third straight batting title, and would be the first player in MLB history to do so in three consecutive seasons with three different teams.
Still, the Padres may opt for caution with their All-Star hitter, and keeping him off defense as much as possible may be the best option going forward.
Shildt Must Find Room For “Donnie Barrels”
The Padres’ recent hot streak may feed into Shildt’s hesitancy to tinker with the lineup. Even so, there is plenty of room for improvement, and Kim’s struggles underscore the necessity to utilize Solano’s bat as much as possible.
Solano’s daily inclusion in the lineup gives the team an excellent opportunity to maximize its new contact-oriented philosophy. With five homers and 27 RBI, Solano’s numbers may not jump off the page, but his .308/.336/.381 slash line hints at his consistency as a hitter.
Also, the Padres have struggled against left-handed pitching this year – they rank 23rd in MLB against southpaws. Solano excels against lefties though, hitting .321 with four home runs and 10 RBI against them this year, which further accentuates his value to the lineup.
Solano may not be a power hitter, but his ability to muster up hits perfectly compliments the team’s sluggers like Machado, the resurgent Jurickson Profar, and rookie standout Jackson Merrill. Fernando Tatis Jr. will likely return sometime next month, which would round out the lineup during the most important part of the season.
In order for the Padres to have the best chance of success during their postseason push, Donovan Solano needs to play every day. The team must find a way to make it happen.
