MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell believes Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts could platoon out of the leadoff spot for the Padres.

The Padres seem pretty comfortable with a 2-3-4 of Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr., but the leadoff hitter spot has not been solidified yet by new manager Craig Stammen. If true, this would be a small boost for Cronenworth’s value — he would see the majority of the at-bats in a good lineup and could significantly bump his run total in 2026.