Padres' Mike Shildt Appears to Not So Subtly Ask Front Office to Make Key Upgrade

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt has taken to some unorthodox strategies as of late to plug up the offensive holes in his lineup, mainly at the catcher position.

He has pinch hit for catcher Martin Maldonado before the sixth inning a several times this month in an attempt to generate some offense from a position which has offered him very little over the course of this season.

“As far as sustainable, listen — your parts are the parts, and you manage them to the best of your absolute ability,” Shildt said of his decision. “And I think that’s my job, and then we’re trying to win every single incremental margin.

“Just putting it all together, best as I can.”

The Padres are in the market for several upgrades to aid their playoff push this season, but are yet to make a move with the trade deadline in less than three weeks. Catcher and left field appear to be their main priorities, as both positions have been lacking on the offensive side.

Padres catchers rank in the bottom five in MLB in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and wRC+ this season, and are dead last in RBIs at the position. Both of their Opening Day left fielders, Connor Joe and Jason Heyward, were unable to fill the hole left by All-Star Jurickson Profar and are no longer with the team.

Since the beginning of June, the Padres have scored the fifth fewest runs in MLB, and desperately need something to change if they are to remain competitive this season.

The Padres are 0.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot behind the San Francisco Giants and 4.5 games back of the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, though that lead was nine games just a week ago. In order to overtake their division rivals in the WIld Card, they'll definitely need to bolster their ranks and pursue some consistent bats ahead of the trade deadline.

They face the Philadelphia Phillies in the second game of a three-game set on Saturday, and will hope they can pass the Giants to reclaim the Wild Card Spot. First pitch is at 4:35 p.m. PT.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.