The Padres are making moves to shore up their left field depth! On Friday, reports started circulating that San Diego is closing in on a deal with outfielder/first baseman Connor Joe. But that’s not all – later, The Athletic broke the news that the Padres also reached a deal with veteran outfielder Jason Heyward.  

Now, the Padres haven’t officially confirmed either signing just yet. As for Joe, he’s a San Diego native, so this move is a bit of a homecoming for him. Drafted 39th overall by the Pirates back in 2014, Joe has had stints with the Giants, Rockies, and Pirates over the past five seasons. The 32-year-old is a seasoned player who can bring some valuable experience to the Padres.  

Connor Joe’s comeback to bear fruit with a new team 

In February of 2020, Connor Joe was at Spring Training with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But before he could dive into the excitement of his new opportunity, Joe had to go through the usual physical examination. What started as a routine checkup soon took a surprising turn. The physical stretched on longer than expected, and after about 45 minutes, the doctor found something “odd” and recommended an ultrasound. 

The next day, Joe had the procedure. Things moved quickly after that. Joe was sent to the Mayo Clinic for a battery of tests. The results pointed to testicular cancer. After months of chemotherapy, then came July 20, 2020. The moment he had been waiting for: Joe was cancer-free. Now the first baseman will be back on the field with the Padres! 

How will the Poway High School alumni fit into the Padres roster? 

At the age of 32, Connor Joe is most probably going to sign a free-agency contract with the Padres and return to his roots. Coming from Poway High School, he then attended the University of San Diego. The California native has become a utility player in his time in Major League Baseball, and one of his options for the immediate future is left field, a position desperately in need of a reliable replacement while the Padres sort out.

Joe holds five years of experience in Major League Baseball, having played left for the Giants, the Rockies, and the Pirates. Not that he’s a start-every-game kind of guy, but he’s capable of being the go-to player when needed and giving the Padres some stability as they attempt to sort out their outfield. And while Joe’s more than just a left fielder, he also adds invaluable first-base flexibility to the Padres.

He also brings depth at first base, especially considering that Jake Cronenworth is already holding down a position and Luis Arraez may be moving to the designated hitter or even traded. Will Connor Joe provide the Padres with the flexibility and experience to handle next season’s hectic schedule? What do you think? Share with us below.