The Padres Lead MLB In a Surprising Offensive Category

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jun 27, 2024

David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports

Small ball goes a long way sometimes, and the San Diego Padres are one of Major League Baseball's best teams when it comes to turning a bunt into a base hit.

On Monday night, in a 7-6 extra-inning victory over the Washington Nationals, Ha-Seong Kim dropped a perfectly placed bunt in the second inning. It was originally a safety squeeze that turned into a single. It scored Jake Cronenworth for the game’s first run and was the Padres’ 14th bunt hit of the season. That is tied with the Royals for most in the major leagues.

The run-scoring play got the game off on the right foot, if only in somewhat smaller fashion than the Padres — tied for eighth in the league in home runs — is accustomed to.

The day began when the Padres placed outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. on the injured list with a stress reaction in the femur in his right leg. They also announced Yu Darvish would not make his scheduled return from a groin injury on Tuesday, as he’s now dealing with right elbow inflammation.

After a day of unpleasantries, the Padres managed to come back from a deficit of at least three runs in extra innings for the first time since Walt Hriniak’s walk-off single on July 5, 1969, in their inaugural season. It was only the second time in franchise history for a comeback win like this.

“There’s no substitute for will and belief,” manager Mike Shildt said after the game. “And this team has it.”