Padres' Veteran Thinks Teammates Need to 'Tone it Down a Little Bit'

As the media gathered around Jurickson Profar's locker in the San Diego Padres clubhouse, the utility man made it clear that he wasn't the best player on the team.

“I’m not the best player on this team,” Profar told the San-Diego Union Tribune Wednesday morning.

The statistics say otherwise but Profar knows that his teammates will come around. The Padres won't make it to the playoffs if Profar is their best player.

“No,” Profar said. “My teammates are going to start getting hot. We’re going to be a dangerous team, a way better team than we are right now.”

With his calming veteran presence, Profar has learned not to press. He didn't set personal goals this season because he didn't want to think of himself as a failure if he didn't meet his goals. However, he does think his teammates have put too much pressure on themselves.

“I think they are putting a little bit of pressure on themselves,” he said. “They want it so bad. I’ve been there too. You want something bad, and it doesn’t happen. I want all of them to just tone it down a little bit and just let it happen. Because we are talented. You can do it, but you put a lot of pressure on something, it’s not going to happen."

Profar lived the words he said. He knows what he is talking about, but the Padres wouldn't be anywhere close to 16-18 with him this season. It is fine to have someone not named Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, or Fernando Tatis Jr., for now. It isn't sustainable for the whole season.

“Good teams have that,” manager Mike Shildt said. “We’d love to have — and we have had — contributions consistently from our lineup. But you’re gonna go through stretches where not everybody is firing on the same cylinder. But it’s important for guys like Pro and whoever it may be — and in this case Pro — to pick up and be able to have those good at-bats and get those big hits.”

On the year, Profar is slashing an incredible .342/.431/.523 with four home runs and 21 runs batted in. He's also played in all 34 games for the Padres.