Miguel

Andujar

Andújar had the day off on Wednesday and has been alternating games a bit with Nick Castellanos to start the season. Andújar has gone 2-for-12 to start the season, which is exactly the same as Castellanos. For now, nobody is running away with the job.

Castellanos is in the starting lineup for the first time as a member of the Padres. The 34-year-old vet will get the nod over Miguel Andujar, who will head to the bench against Jack Flaherty and the Detroit bullpen.

The Padres went with lefty Gavin Sheets at first base and Miguel Andujar at DH against Tarik Skubal on Thursday. Tonight, they’re switching to Ty France at first base and sticking with Andujar against Framber Valdez. It’s definitely not good looking for Castellanos, who flew out in his lone at-bat off the bench Thursday. The Padres have no financial obligation to him beyond paying him the MLB minimum, and with all being defensively limited right-handers, it just wouldn’t make much sense to keep all three of Andujar, Castellanos and France around for the long haul.

It’s not a complete surprise, but it is confirmation that Andujar, not Castellanos, will begin the season as the primary designated hitter. Andujar hit just .220/.305/.420 in spring, but he did have three home runs and a manageable strikeout rate. He’s a career .282 hitter in 467 MLB games and could have some deep league fantasy value if he’s going to hit in the middle of the Padres’ lineup. The rest of the Opening Day lineup is: Fernando Tatis RF, Xander Bogaerts SS, Manny Machado 3B, Jackson Merrill CF, Miguel Andujar DH, Gavin Sheets 1B, Ramon Laureano LF, Freddy Fermin C, and Jake Cronenworth 2B.

It figures to be a major league deal at the minimum, since the Phillies are already on the hook for the rest of the $20 million that Castellanos is owed. Castellanos seems kind of redundant with Miguel Andujar, another right-handed bat who shouldn’t do much other than DH, but the Padres can stick one in the field against lefties. Castellanos probably has the better chance of emerging as the regular DH.

There’s a mutual option for 2027. Andujar figures to be the primary DH for the Friars in 2026 and could also see time as a corner infielder and outfielder. He will probably bat low enough in the order to not be much of a threat for runs scored, but could be a useful NL-only player at the outset of the season.

That probably wouldn’t have boded very well for Miguel Andujar’s chances of playing regularly for his new (but still unofficial) team. But it still seems likely that the Padres will add one more bat, potentially affecting the playing time of Andujar, Sung-Mon Song and Gavin Sheets. Rhys Hoskins and Ty France are probably the closest comparables to Goldschmidt, so perhaps one of them is next on the team’s list. Mitch Garver would also make some sense, especially given Luis Campusano’s similar potential to contribute as more than a backup catcher. Nathaniel Lowe and Marcell Ozuna are also out there as potential starters at first base and DH, respectively.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan says it’s a one-year, $4 million deal. Heyman, who had previously linked Andujar with the Padres, Rangers, Cardinals and Cubs, notes there’s a mutual option for 2027. Andujar’s contact ability makes him pretty useful as a part-timer, but his lack of defense, middling power and poor walk rate don’t translate well to regular play. He should primarily occupy a platoon role in San Diego, probably mostly splitting time with Gavin Sheets at DH.

Andujar had a strong season, split between playing for the Athletics and Reds. He hit .318/.352/.470 with 10 home runs in 94 games due to injury. Now, he was playing in arguably the two most hitter-friendly stadiums in baseball, but he also showed flashes of success in 2024 with Oakland. Heyman has said teams like the Rangers, Padres, Cardinals, and Cubs have expressed interest.

Hays missed seven consecutive games to close out the regular season due to back spasms. The 30-year-old corner outfielder is back in left field and batting cleanup against lefty Blake Snell on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. Here’s the full lineup: TJ Friedl (CF), Noelvi Marte (RF), Miguel Andujar (DH), Hays (LF), Spencer Steer (1B), Elly De La Cruz (SS), Tyler Stephenson (C), Ke’Bryan Hayes (3B) and Matt McLain (2B).