SAN DIEGO — Fernando Tatis Jr. sat in entrance of his locker late Monday night time, assessing his San Diego Padres within the wake of an extra-inning loss to the Dodgers. He didn’t have a lot to say, however he didn’t must say a lot.
“We are able to nonetheless play higher,” he stated. “It’s that easy.”
Tatis reached base thrice Monday, however his OPS is 78 factors beneath his profession common. The Padres dropped the extremely anticipated opener of the season collection of baseball’s greatest rivalry by one run, however their most efficient and wholesome beginning pitcher received hit onerous, one in every of their relievers threw away a comebacker, one in every of their outfielders misinterpret a line drive, and their shortstop misplaced a pop fly within the twilight.
But, in spite of everything that, the Padres (37-28) awoke Tuesday 9 video games over .500 and two video games out of first place within the Nationwide League West. At this level final season, the Padres have been one recreation underneath .500 and eight video games out of first place.
The Padres rallied to clinch a postseason spot and got here inside one recreation of eliminating the Dodgers within the first spherical of the playoffs. Then got here winter, with the Padres going into hibernation because the Dodgers signed many of the free world.
The Padres didn’t win the winter, by selection. That didn’t endear them to their followers, notably not after the Dodgers took residence a championship trophy as a result of nobody may beat L.A. in October.
There was a preseason fan fest in San Diego. It was decidedly not festive.
“I don’t suppose we have been ever dangerous,” Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove stated. “Folks see the additions of massive title gamers for some huge cash and suppose that immediately correlates to the flexibility to win.”
That’s true for followers, and more true nonetheless for main league homeowners working in markets far smaller than San Diego, refusing to spend after which pointing fingers on the Dodgers. The Padres earned a playoff payoff final season, they usually have offered out 27 of 31 residence dates to this point this season.
San Diego’s Jackson Merrill celebrates after hitting an run-scoring double towards the Dodgers within the tenth inning Monday.
(Orlando Ramirez / Related Press)
“I don’t suppose the followers are improper for feeling how they felt,” Musgrove stated. “That’s only a pure, knee-jerk response to seeing everybody transfer and also you not transfer.”
The Padres misplaced Tanner Scott, Jurickson Profar and Ha-Seong Kim over the winter. They misplaced Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Josh Hader the earlier winter.
That will frighten any fan base.
The Padres traded Soto and received two New York Yankees relievers — Michael King and Randy Vasquez — that now begin in San Diego. The Padres changed Soto within the outfield with a minor league shortstop, Jackson Merrill, who ought to have been the NL rookie of the 12 months.
They didn’t use Scott as a more in-depth after they traded for him; Robert Suarez closed then and closes now. Gavin Sheets, signed to a minor league contract, has 11 residence runs, greater than anybody on the group moreover Tatis.
The highest 4 batters within the San Diego lineup — Tatis, Luis Arraez, Manny Machado and Merrill — can maintain their very own towards the Dodgers’ quartet of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández.
Utilityman Tyler Wade scoffed on the winter notion that the Padres won’t fare as properly this season.
“Go searching our room, man,” Wade stated. “We’ve received a super-talented bunch. We principally have the identical group as final 12 months — minus a few key items, clearly.”
The Padres’ catchers have a detrimental WAR. So do their left fielders, and their .248 on-base share is the bottom amongst any group’s left fielders.
The Angels’ Taylor Ward can be a pleasant match right here. A.J. Preller, the Padres’ president of baseball operations, is the uncommon government who trades precise prospects. He’ll make the Padres higher within the seven weeks between now and the buying and selling deadline.
Stated Musgrove: “The individuals on this room felt extraordinarily assured within the workers, and within the perception that now we have in A.J. to place a great product on the sphere and make changes as vital all year long.”
What would possibly distinguish the Padres from the Dodgers this season — and vice versa — is what number of beginning pitchers return from the injured record, and the way efficient they are often.
The Dodgers have Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow and Tony Gonsolin on the injured record. The Padres have King, Musgrove and Yu Darvish on the injured record.
Darvish has but to pitch this season however has resumed throwing bullpen classes. King is anticipated to overlook a number of weeks due to a pinched nerve. Musgrove, who had Tommy John surgical procedure final October, just isn’t anticipated to rejoin the rotation this season however is hopeful he can pitch in aid within the postseason, if the Padres get there.
The Dodgers’ relievers have thrown probably the most innings within the league. Each the Dodgers and Padres’ starters rank among the many high 5 in innings pitched. The relievers for each groups are pitching very properly, however too typically.
In the end, lest the bullpen arms change into injured and/or ineffective, the supervisor stated, “We’re going to want some depth out of some starters.” (The supervisor was the Padres’ Mike Shildt, nevertheless it may simply as simply have been the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts.)
And, amid all of the hype and evaluation surrounding the Dodgers and Padres, there’s one little wrinkle: The Dodgers lead the NL West, however the group in second place just isn’t the Padres. It’s the San Francisco Giants. Did somebody say rivalry?
