Padres News: By Not Trying to Hit Homers, Homers are Exploding at Record Pace

Maren Angus-Coombs | Sep 17, 2024

Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres aren't trying to hit home runs but the ball is leaving the yard at a record pace.

The Padres are closing in on breaking their franchise record for home runs hit at home, though it wasn’t by design.

As they geared up for their final homestand of the season , it’s clear this milestone wasn’t something San Diego set out to achieve.

New hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, who joined in the offseason, knew first-hand — and had heard plenty — about how challenging it could be to hit home runs at Petco Park. His strategy, however, was straightforward.

“So if it’s hard to hit homers, why would we look for homers?” Rodriguez told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Sunday. “Let’s focus on line drives. Let’s get doubles. So that’s when we came up with ‘Petco Park hitting.’ ”

The Padres even had a spring training drill named for this approach, in which targets were placed near the typical spots for the second baseman and shortstop. The focus was always on hitting the ball hard and on a line, a philosophy that was preached from day one and continues to be emphasized in regular team meetings.

“Let’s focus on hitting line drives, not homers,” Rodriguez said. “By thinking less power, you might have more power.”

A direct result of that approach was a season-high seven doubles on Saturday night against the Giants.

“It doesn’t matter where we are at,” Rodriguez said. “When we say ‘Petco Park hitting,’ it means line drive, gap to gap.”

Home runs have also been a result of the approach. The Padres hit three doubles and two home runs as part of their 13-hit attack in Monday's win over the Houston Astros.

NANDO OFF THE BENCH!

Fernando Tatis Jr. homers on the first pitch he sees to give the @Padres the lead! pic.twitter.com/mImulMWSXR

— MLB (@MLB) September 15, 2024

The Padres' two homers Monday gave them 101 home runs at Petco Park this season, tying the team’s home record set in 2019.

While 175 total home runs this year aren’t on track to set a new franchise mark, it still ranks sixth all-time, trailing the record 219 homers hit by the 2019 team.

Last season, the Padres hit 205 home runs overall but managed only 91 of those at Petco Park.

“We’re not playing in a ballpark that every fly ball is going to go out,” Fernando Tatis Jr. said Sunday. “So, you know, as we try to build as a lineup a contact team, and we have, and we also have power. But we have emphasized being better hitters than power hitters. So I feel like that has given us a lot this year.”