Padres News: Bob Melvin Stands Behind Trent Grisham’s Up and Down Season

The Padres' 2023 campaign has been full of disappointments after entering the season with World Series title expectations.

One of them has been centerfielder Trent Grisham, who currently has just a .197 batting average with two games remaining in the 2023 season.

Grisham has had his fair share of strong seasons, with an .808 OPS in his debut season with San Diego in 2020. His defense has led to him winning Golden Glove honors twice in his career. 

This season, Grisham struggled to put together consistent at-bats, failing to get more than two hits in a single game all but once. He will finish 2023 with the most strikeouts in a single season in his career.

Regardless, Padres manager Bob Melvin was optimistic when reflecting on Grisham's up and down season.

“Look, he hasn’t had his best year, but there have been times that he’s been really good,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “There’s been times where he’s gotten big hits, and the defense is always there. I still think there’s a lot more in there offensively and whether it’s on base, whether it’s the power that he has, we’re always hoping that it’s going to show up more consistently.”

(Via Jeff Sanders, The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Grisham and the Padres will negotiate a contract in the offseason, with the centerfielder set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

The Padres have one more game against the Chicago White Sox before their season comes to a close.