Baseball fans have long pointed out how nearly all of the San Diego Padres' core is comprised of current or former shortstops. Xander Bogaerts is currently manning the position, and Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill have gone on to become elite outfielders after coming up at the shortstop position. Manny Machado and Jake Cronenworth are converted shortstops, too.
Ahead of the 2026 season, it is actually the first base position in which the Padres have a logjam at, though. This is somewhat surprising because Luis Arraez and Ryan O'Hearn are no longer with the team. Arraez, one of the best contact hitters in baseball, just signed with the San Francisco Giants. Furthermore, after a breakout season, O'Hearn will be playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates prioritized revamping the position in the offseason, but they might have gone overboard. Now the team might have to trade one player, and Gavin Sheets might be the most realistic option.
The Padres should trade Gavin Sheets
The Padres were busy adding first baseman in the offseason. Nick Castellanos was signed just over a week ago after his time with the Philadelphia Phillies came to an end. The two-time All-Star isn't the player he once was, but he is known for making big plays during big moments.
The Padres also signed Miguel Andujar and Sung-Mun Song. Andujar has been a reliable player wherever he has been at. The former starter of the New York Yankees batted .318 between the Athletics and the Cincinnati Reds last season. Song will be coming over from the KBO League, where he was an All-Star and team captain. The Padres gave him a four-year contract, illustrating that he is a big part of their plans.
Although just added on a minor league deal, Ty France was also signed in free agency. It is worth noting that Cronenworth can play first base, too. That is a lot of talent joining Gavin Sheets as players who need time at first. Sheets is coming off a career year. He started off his Padres tenure on a high note with an opening day home run, and he'd go on to set career highs in plate appearances (545), batting average (.252), and homers (19).
At this point, Sheets may very well be the best of the bunch at first. However, with all the incoming talent, the Padres would be smart to trade Sheets for players and prospects at other positions, while Castellanos, Andujar, Song, Cronenworth, and maybe France rotate at first base this year.
Of course, the concern here is that Sheets is a left-handed batter, something that is somewhat lacking in the Padres' lineup this year. If the Padres could get a return that includes either catching or outfield help, though, the Padres would have to consider trading him. The Padres are no strangers to utilizing the trade market in recent years. They've been moving stars in and out with regularity recently, but it has yet to result in a World Series title.
The team's championship window won't last forever, so they need to be doing whatever it takes to take the next step forward. With a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers in their division, the Padres can't be complacent, and they need to be willing to take gambles to improve the roster.
