Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? We give an overview of team strengths, weaknesses, and other things to know, using Defensive Runs Saved and other stats as the basis for our evaluation. To see the full series, click here.
2025 Team Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 14th
Team Strengths
The Padres have two excellent defenders in right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and catcher Freddy Fermin. Last season Tatis Jr. won his second Fielding Bible Award in three years. His 15 Runs Saved were partly a product of four home run robbing catches (and another ball he saved from being a homer but didn’t catch). He had good Range Runs Saved and Outfield Arm Runs Saved totals last season though not near what he did in 2023.
Most Defensive Runs Saved – Right Field – Last 3 Seasons
| Player | Runs Saved |
| Fernando Tatis Jr. | 44 |
| Wilyer Abreu | 32 |
| Sal Frelick | 29 |
Fermin finished top three in Runs Saved at catcher in both 2024 and 2025 and his 29 combined Runs Saved trails only Giants catcher Patrick Bailey at the position. He’s a good pitch blocker and does well in stopping the running game.
Most Defensive Runs Saved – Catchers – Last 2 Seasons
| Player | Runs Saved |
| Patrick Bailey | 39 |
| Freddy Fermin | 29 |
| Alejandro Kirk | 22 |
The Padres also have some versatility with Ramón Laureano, who can play all three outfield positions, though he’s better in the corners than he is in center field.
Team Weaknesses
The middle infield doesn’t compare favorably to other ones in MLB. Jake Cronenworth, who used to put up decent numbers at second base, had -8 Runs Saved there last season. Xander Bogaerts has finished a season with a positive Runs Saved at shortstop once in a full season since his career began in 2013. He had -4 Runs Saved there in 2025.
With Luis Arraez gone, the Padres are going to give Gavin Sheets a shot at first base. He has -3 Runs Saved in 101 career games there. He’s never played more than 43 games in a season at first base, so we’ll see how long this lasts.
We wouldn’t expect Nick Castellanos to see the field often if it all. If he does, brace yourself. He’s coming off five straight seasons of -9 Runs Saved or worse.
Other Things To Know
You kind of know what you’re going to get at this point with Manny Machado at third base. He’s going to be decent but not great and not close to what he was 10 years ago. He’s saved 4, 2, and 3 Runs there the last three years.
Want to know what an average center fielder looks like? Jackson Merrill fits the profile. He had 0 Runs Saved there in 2024 and then again in 2025.
Are the Padres A Good Defensive Team?
They’re probably about what they were last season. This team has very middle-of-the-pack vibes at the moment.
