Time is ticking.

Thirty-four games remain on the San Diego Padres schedule, and even though it may seem like their chances are gone, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.

The Friars remain just 5.5 games out of a Wild Card spot after taking down the Miami Marlins two games to one. It is still questionable how the Padres are even in this position, as it seems liked they were going to take off offensively this year with the signing of Xander Bogaerts. The two-time World Series Champion signed a massive contract with the Padres in the offseason, but we have really yet to see him get comfortable.

The shortstop started the season on fire, leading the team in batting average in the month of April by a mile.

Then, a massive slump lowered his average below .270. Bogaerts leads the team in at-bats but has a .263 average with 14 homers and only 44 RBIs as of now. The inability for him to produce runs has been a major problem for the Padres’ offense this season. Bob Melvin has kept him as the 4-5 hitter in the lineup, hoping that he would be the one bringing all the baserunners home. However, that has just not been the case.

San Diego needs the former silver slugger to turn things around right now … desperately. The lineup has seen the surge of defensive wizard Ha-Seong Kim, while Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. are putting up respectable seasons. Manny Machado is in a slump as well … but that is a story for another time. We all know what Machado is capable of, as he has been the best player on this roster since he signed.

Bogaerts, on the other hand, has a lot to prove. The Padres have yet to see the version of Bogaerts that they were hoping to get when they signed him. Last year, the 30-year-old hit .307 and ended with a 5.7 WAR. The Friars could really use that production right about now.

The good news for the X-Man is that he is on his way to surpass some numbers from last season.

Bogaerts is just two homers away from surpassing his total of 15 bombs in 2022. Furthermore, he is just three steals away from a career-high of 16 stolen bases. His numbers are down in almost every category from last year until now, but there is still plenty of time for him to flip the switch.

The X-Man is batting .284 with a .405 slugging percentage since the All-Star break. He must keep this production going.

Bogaerts has been on some really good Red Sox teams that have played elite ball down the stretch. A solid month of September could really benefit the Padres as they are in the hunt for a playoff spot.

That’s a 2-run Bogey Blast™️#BringTheGold pic.twitter.com/ia3BBSRMca

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 23, 2023

The seasons seems dead. Every loss makes you believe that the team will quit. It’s not easy to think they can turn it around, but the I can tell you one thing … the Padres believe they can make it. They were buyers at the trade deadline and are doing all they can to win games. The pitching has been the strong point while the offense has struggled. If they can put everything together, then there is no reason why they can go on a run.

Chris Spiering

Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris is also an athlete and is huge fan of San Diego sports. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and contributes regularly about the Padres.