With Jake Cronenworth sitting for the first time this season, Robinson Cano will play second and Trent Grisham will lead off in series finale at Phillies
On Thursday, Jake Cronenworth is finally getting his first full day off as the Padres play their final game of the year at Citizens Bank Park .The NL Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2020 and an All-Star last year, the 28-year-old Cronenworth is hitting .206/.301/.319 with a 21.2 percent strikeout rate, more than seven points above last year’s rate.
He’s walking more often than ever , but isn’t quite up to speed on fastballs as his expected slugging percentage against heaters has dropped form .515 in 2020 to .440 last year to .366 to start this year.He’s also hitting .094 against breaking balls, well off last year’s .295 batting average against benders.
It’s not entirely a matter of an inflated strikeout rate, either, as Cronenworth’s batted-ball profile has seen his line drive rate dip to a career-worst 20.4 percent and his flyball and pop-up balloon to career-highs. The Padres had moved Cronenworth into the leadoff spot to both get his bat going and benefit from his ability to continue to put together competitive at-bats even with his timing off, but he was hitting .200/.250/.289 in that spot over the last 11 days.
Without Cronenworth in Thursday’s lineup, Trent Grisham will hit leadoff and Robinson Cano will play second base and bat sixth.