​San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images Officially, the second half of the 2026 season begins for the San Diego Padres with a 10-game road trip. The gauntlet includes playing two of the top National League East foes (Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins) after a weekend series against the Kansas City Royals.This might sound like a daunting task, but the Padres have a chance to put themselves back into the postseason chase. Currently, they trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by a whopping 12-and-a-half games in the NL West standings. But the Friars are only three-and-a-half games behind the Marlins for the final Wild Card berth.We cannot expect a total collapse from the two-time World Series champs, but chasing down the Fish seems like a reasonable goal.Here is what to expect from the Padres in the second half:Get Jake Cronenworth healthyOne of the surprises before the All-Star break was the return of Jake Cronenworth to the starting lineup. Barring any physical setbacks, he will play second base and hit ninth in the batting order. The Friars need his left-handed stick, as getting the stagnant offense going is of great importance right now. We have seen throughout the season that the team’s best hitters can go cold for long stretches. Even Manny Machado is experiencing the worst hitting slump of his major league career. Adding Cronenworth to the mix should allow the lineup to get back on track and score runs.But to achieve postseason aspirations, the Padres need Cro sharp at the plate.Do not play Freddy Fermin until concussion-freePlaying through injuries is expected from those who put on the tools of ignorance. But the number of catchers sustaining a concussion has grown at an alarming rate this season.View LinkEveryone should be worried about the amount of time Freddy Fermin has spent in concussion protocol this season. We need to get him healthy before he begins playing in the second half of the season.Concussions are lingering injuries that stay with a sufferer for an extended time. Even if Fermin has passed all the protocol testing, a few extra days out of the lineup will not hurt.The position’s offensive production has been non-existent all season, but Fermin is an outstanding defensive catcher. The Friars will need his experience to call a game if they expect to move up the standings. Trust the starting rotationLet’s stop fooling ourselves; the Padres starting rotation is in shambles. No question, injuries have forced constant change, but the days of juggling starting pitchers in and out of the rotation are over. Team skipper Craig Stammen has to play the cards he was dealt.Sorry, the Friar Faithful are tired of waiting for Joe Musgrove to make his season debut or the return of Nick Pivetta to the rotation. Their replacements failed to live up to expectations. They struggled with consistency and could not stop opponents from putting runs on the scoreboard. The second half will