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Padres’ improvement getting on base might be in Cards

A total of 292 players have had at least 1,000 major league plate appearances since the start of 2016.

Padres infielder Greg Garcia’s 19.2 percent rate of chasing pitches outside the strike zone is sixth best among them. Left fielder Tommy Pham’s 21.1 percent rate is 10th best.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter ranks second.

The 34-year-old Carpenter, a three-time All-Star, is coming off the least-productive season of his career, and the value of his ongoing contributions has become a point of contention in St. Louis.

But his influence on the Padres might be just beginning.