SAN DIEGO -- When the Miguel Andujar signing becomes official, the Padres’ offense will be just about complete.
The veteran right-handed hitter is precisely the type of bat that San Diego had been looking for this winter. And although there are still big questions in the rotation -- and there’s room for another backup-catcher contender -- it’s safe to start looking at this offense holistically. (Or at least as safe as it ever is with A.J. Preller as general manager.)
On Saturday we got our first clue about how new manager Craig Stammen might line things up when he noted that Gavin Sheets would be “penciled in” as the regular first baseman. Sheets had spent the bulk of his time at DH and in left field last season.
So … What now, with Andujar on board? Here’s a look at the questions facing the Padres against both righties and lefties -- and how they might line up against both.
The big decision against righties
It’s been mentioned plenty of times, but the Padres did most of their work toward reinforcing their 2026 starting lineup at the 2025 Trade Deadline, when they added Freddy Fermin and Ramón Laureano. It was unclear exactly where Sheets would play, but the Padres entered the offseason with -- barring trades -- eight-ninths of their lineup in place.
The last spot is still a question. But through free agency, the Padres have added two bats who will vie for it: Andujar and Sung-Mun Song, the versatile infielder from Korea who signed a four-year deal in December.
If Sheets is at first base, the remaining opening is at DH. But Stammen made it clear how he plans to use the DH spot at Saturday’s FanFest.
“It’s probably a spot that we’re going to keep open throughout the season, be able to give Manny [Machado] a day DH-ing, Xander [Bogaerts] a day DH-ing, Fernando [Tatis Jr.], Laureano, [Jackson] Merrill,” Stammen said. “I think it’s a strategic way to keep those guys a little fresher during the season.”
That would seem to give Song an advantage, given his versatility and his lefty bat. He can play third base, second base and first base, and the Padres plan to get him outfield reps in camp. Essentially, the Padres can move him around defensively to get virtually all of their regulars a day at DH.
That said, when all of those regulars are playing their usual positions, it’s a simple case of Andujar vs. Song. The rest of the bench options, at least against righties, appear to be straight bench options.
Andujar has always been much better against lefties, but he was no slouch against righties last year, posting a .760 OPS against them. He’ll have every chance to earn starts against right-handed pitching. And if he comes off the bench, well, that’s where his career .833 OPS as a substitute comes in handy.
Projected lineup vs. RHP:
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Jackson Merrill, CF
3. Manny Machado, 3B
4. Gavin Sheets, 1B
5. Ramón Laureano, LF
6. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
7. Xander Bogaerts, SS
8. Sung-Mun Song, DH (or playing elsewhere while someone else gets a DH day)
9. Freddy Fermin, C
Andujar starts vs. lefties … but where?
For a team that struggled against left-handed pitching last season, the addition of Andujar makes perfect sense. The Padres were a below-league-average offense against lefties, per their 96 wRC+ (an all-encompassing hitting metric). Against righties, that number was 105.
Andujar balances things in a major way. His OPS against left-handed pitching last season was .987. He probably won’t repeat that in 2026, but his career mark is still above .800. Which is to say: Andujar is going to start against lefties.
Simple as that? Maybe. In a season when Song is transitioning to a different league, it makes sense to give him a light workload against lefties. Give him the favorable matchups; let him come off the bench a few times a week.
But there’s one other variable here. A year ago, Sheets earned his way into everyday starts with his performance against lefties, but the bar might be higher this season with Andujar on board.
This is also where Luis Campusano might get a chance. Campusano still hasn’t put it together in the big leagues, but he mashed all last season at Triple-A, hitting .336 with a 1.036 OPS. If the Padres want to give him a shot, perhaps he serves as DH against lefties, with Andujar sliding to first.
Then again, Campusano is also in the catching mix. Or he might not make the team at all. In any case, Sheets is the more proven commodity by far at this point.
Projected lineup vs. LHP:
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Manny Machado, 3B
3. Jackson Merrill, CF
4. Ramón Laureano, LF
5. Miguel Andujar, DH
6. Gavin Sheets, 1B
7. Xander Bogaerts, SS
8. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
9. Freddy Fermin, C