Ha-seong Kim's opportunity, slow starts for Hiura and Vaughn, and expectations for Yermín Mercedes and Akil Baddoo

Keith Law and Derek VanRiper discuss the Padres' options at shortstop with Fernando Tatis Jr. on the IL, expectations for Geraldo Perdomo in Arizona, early surprises -- including Andrew Vaughn's slow start at the plate, Keston Hiura's struggle to make contact -- the potential impact of learning a new defensive position on offensive production, and more. Rundown 2:21 Ha-seong Kim & the Padres’ Depth Behind Fernando Tatis Jr. 9:06 The Importance of Seeing Players Against Upper Level Competition 15:53 Geraldo Perdomo Gets the Call to Arizona 19:00 Andrew Vaughn’s Slow Start at the Plate 22:14 Keston Hiura’s Soaring Strikeout Rate 27:08 How Sustainable is Yermín Mercedes as a Big League Hitter? 32:45 Akil Baddoo’s Huge First Week 36:04 The Value of Game Reps for Rebuilding Teams Follow Keith on Twitter: @keithlaw Follow Derek on Twitter: @DerekVanRiper Subscribe to The Athletic for just $3.99/month to start: theathletic.com/baseballshow Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.