How Should the 2026 Padres Attack Their Catching Rotation?
The San Diego Padres have been on a mission recently. After back-to-back series wins at home, the latter being capped off with a sweep, the Friars are pushing to overcome inconsistency and slide into the playoffs. As of September 10th, they sit at the third National League Wild Card spot; however, in a loaded National League, the gap is never too big. The division rival Arizona Diamondbacks are hot on the Padres' tail, sitting just a half game back. The Friars' four-game win streak has most definitely helped them stand their ground, but their 78-68 record is still being chased down by the Snakes' 78-69 record. Recent times have been kind to the Padres, but throughout the season one position group has had its ups and downs. Now, that same position group is three deep, splitting time between three players in different parts of their MLB journeys.
Position Group at a Glance
As of now, the Padres currently employ three different catchers on their active roster. Initially, the position was traded off between Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin. The two shared duties until Campusano sustained an injury to his toe, resulting in the call-up of Rodolfo Durán, who appeared in 39 games for the Padres and struggled, posting a -0.4 WAR. Durán was given more opportunities courtesy of Fermin going down with injury twice as well, both of which were head injuries. The catching room became even more complicated when the Padres called up former second-round pick Blake Hunt for just three plate appearances before designating him for assignment. Among the two initial primary catchers, Campusano has been both the best and the most surprising. Coming into 2026, the former top prospect was absolutely written off after multiple disappointing seasons. Instead of continuing the trend, the right-hander got off to a great start and has kept his pace, currently carrying a WAR of 1.8 in 61 games played. Fermin, on the other hand, has struggled heavily behind the plate. The 31-year-old has posted an OPS of just .567 in 88 games for the Friars. The statistical comparison of who to play appears easy, but defensive metrics and the addition of a new face in the catching room complicate the position group down the stretch.
Splitting Time
The Padres made the decision to call up Ethan Salas last week, adding another catcher to the fray. Salas has just 12 plate appearances thus far and has yet to notch his first career hit, but his addition complicates things. It’s easy to say that Fermin deserves to be ostracized due to his hitting woes, but the truth is the 31-year-old is needed. The former Royal ranks in the 93rd percentile in fielding run value according to Baseball Savant. This is mostly due to his 99th-percentile caught-stealing above-average ranking. That sort of defense behind the plate is wildly valuable and has absolutely allowed Fermin to keep his job and should allow him to continue to get playing time. Campusano is the offensive side of the duo, providing poor defense with just ninth-percentile framing and 33rd-percentile blocks above average, but much better offensive production. The 27-year-old’s offense has earned him a consistent start behind the dish, leaving one odd man out. Salas is just 20-years-old, and the decision to call him up was an interesting one. Although it makes sense due to the minor league season ending, his development could be stunted thanks to an early exposure to MLB competition. Moving forward, the Padres should retain all three rostered catchers; they should prioritize Campusano and Fermin in order to not rush Salas into the speed of the MLB. Let the 20-year-old acclimate slowly and ensure his development is not ruined; the two-catcher duo has worked in favor of 78 wins so far.
