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That core and that bullpen deserve a lot of credit, and they’re most of the reason the team is winning. A.J. Preller has had a pretty good year filling in the roster around them, though. Ty France, signed after camps opened to a one-year deal for barely over the minimum salary, is having a career year at 31: .301/.366/.519 (146 OPS+) and 4.8 bWAR. With core pieces Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts drags on the offense, France has provided depth to the lineup. Samad Taylor, once a Royals prospect, was signed by Preller as a minor-league free agent last winter. Taylor has hit .343/.417/.445 with ten steals in 42 games. Preller grabbed Luis Rengifo after the Brewers dumped him, and Rengifo hit .291/.375/.409 for six weeks before blowing out his right knee. When the White Sox dumped Austin Hays, the Padres snapped him up and have gotten a .298/.320/.468 line from him in 50 PA. The team signed, released, and signed again Dustin Harris, who had already been dumped by the White Sox and Astros this season, had to call him up in August, and now he’s their #2 hitter with a .353/.384/.456 line in 74 PA.
