It is not “Angels in the Outfield” helping the San Diego Padres (29-17) to a first-place record in a loaded National League West Division. It’s two Brothas in the outfield, sorry Kevin Costner.
Those MLBbros are centerfielder Trent Grisham and left fielder Tommy Pham who are leading the Padres to the top of their division, making key contributions that might be going under the radar.
The N.L West is one of the best divisions in baseball with three teams at the top of the entire league; the Padres, Giants, and 2020 World Season Champion Dodgers. The Padres are getting it done on the mound as well, ranking first in strikeouts per nine innings. If all three teams stay the course, they will have their sub-regional in the playoffs.
“Offense wins games and defense wins championships” is one very popular expression. Trenton “Gresh” Grisham 24, from Burleson, TX is one of the leaders in defense for the Padres and in 2020 was one of the 12 best defenders in all of baseball, obtaining a Gold Glove for his defensive efforts.
He has continued that trend into 2021 and combined with Tommy Pham and right-fielder Will Myers, the Padres outfield is another defensive lock. Grish is also batting .301 and is giving the Padres enough firepower offensively.
Thomas “Phamtastic” Pham 33, from Las Vegas, NV is the other anchor in the Padres outfield and is playing well despite coming back from injuries suffered in 2020 that still somewhat hinder him to this day. In October, Pham was stabbed in the back after leaving a club.
That injury coupled with a wrist injury might be impeding his ability to hit the ball well at this moment and his batting average is .195, but the MLB season is long and he has plenty of time to improve upon that statistic. His veteran leadership is going to be something that the young, ambitious Padres will need if they want to make a deeper postseason run this season.
The outfield superheroes were not affected by the recent Covid-19 outbreak that hit the Padres and they were spared from catching the virus. The only downside to the Padres defense is that they lead MLB with over 22 errors and they will need to shore that up if they want to make a serious run at a World Series title.
In baseball, you need a strong infield and an even stronger outfield because you have more ground to cover and you have to turn on the jets with regularity. The Padres have some burners in the outfield.
Manager Jayce Tingler noted that Pham is “special” and “competitive in everything that he does.” Pham is also always looking to improve at any opportunity. The steady veteran is looking for a shot at a title.
The second-year Grisham is not only an amazing defender, he’s a strong on-base weapon atop San Diego’s lineup. He’s clearly a long-term solution and future superstar of the Padres outfield. Together they make up an outfield that’s as stingy as Scrooge on Christmas.
Keep your eye out on these players because it’s going to be a shootout in the wild wild west come playoffs.
Baseball fans know the likes of Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and golden-armed Blake Snell — some of the San Diego Padres Padres top players.
With all that star power dripping from Petco Park, there’s a multi-faceted Black Knight that gets lost in the sauce. Having played just 110 games before this season, the 24-year-old centerfielder Trent Grisham is still a baby, but he is the party starter at the top of the lineup for the Padres and is having an All-Star season.
Grisham has quickly become a top player not only on his team but in the league. He’s hitting .348 through his last seven games. On the season he is hitting an impressive .306. He’s also tied for sixth in the league with six stolen bases.
Despite the challenges of the 2020 season, when Grisham joined the squad, he was eager and confident to put the work in and show people what he’s all about.
The 24-year-old takes pride in working hard and that is certainly paying off. In an article from The San Diego Union-Tribune which was published in 2020, Grisham talked about how he approaches the game and puts in the work.
“Essentially, for me, it’s all routine-based,” Grisham said. “I’m going to do the same thing every day because I know it translates. So that’s all I really do, is be the best at that routine every single day and have the right mentality … and let it translate.”
Grisham was a first-round draft pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, selected by the Milwaukee Brewers. He made his MLB debut during the 2019 season at the age of 22 and hit six homers in 51 games.
Let’s not beat around the bush here, the San Diego Padres are one of the most exciting teams to watch in baseball. They bring that youthful exuberance and a throwback combination of small ball, swag, timely blasts, and confidence that makes you want to watch them every time they are on TV.
From the plate to the mound, the Padres have the personnel to make a deep run in the postseason. The Padres have one of the top young players in the league in Fernando Tatis Jr., who quickly rose to stardom without ever playing a full season. They paired him with Manny Machado, who has already made quite a name for himself in the league.
Surrounded with young talent and experienced vets, the Padres will surely slug it out with the Dodgers and Giants for NL West supremacy until the very end.
That’s not happening without Grisham, who is challenging White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and Blue Jays outfielder George Springer for best leadoff hitter in the game.
After spending his first year with the Brewers, he was traded to the Padres in November of 2019. Grisham took full advantage of the 2020 shortened season. The MLB Bro won the National League Gold Glove Award after leading NL outfielders with 134 putouts.
It was the first time since 2012, that a player from San Diego won the award. Now in 2021, Grisham is determined to keep rising to the top.
He’s quickly become a fan favorite and with him roaming the outfield, just know that if that ball is in the park, Grisham is going to find a way to make that catch. He also knows his role as the leadoff hitter and understands he can change the momentum of the game at any time.
When you have hitters like Tatis Jr. and Machado in your lineup, you know that there’s a pretty strong chance you’re scoring when you’re on base. The Padres made the right move in 2019 acquiring Grisham and this season could be the year we see a World Series title come to San Diego.
Grisham is another player that opposing teams have to worry about. Let me tell y’all, our MLB bro can ball!!!
