The San Diego Padres are in a rough patch, dropping four straight games and losing five of their last eight. This marks their first real losing streak since the opening week of the season, and it's starting to raise eyebrows among fans.
Coming off a split with the Arizona Diamondbacks in Mexico City, the Padres returned home with no rest day to recover. They then faced six games against the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, losing both series 1-2. The bullpen has looked shaky, and the offense has gone cold for long stretches—a tough combination for any team trying to stay competitive.
You won't hear manager Mike Shildt or the players blame the Mexico City altitude or fatigue. They're not even using the flu that sidelined Fernando Tatis Jr. for most of the week as an excuse. Fans, however, are less forgiving, pointing to poor pitching, a lack of clutch hitting, and a general sense of urgency missing from the lineup. Maybe it's just baseball, but the Padres need to figure things out—and fast.
Fortunately, the schedule offers a bit of a breather. The struggling San Francisco Giants are next on the docket. If San Diego can't find its rhythm and score some runs in this three-game series, then we can officially start talking about a real problem.
Despite the tough week, there were a couple of bright spots worth celebrating:
Mason Miller was named National League Reliever of the Month for March/April—and for good reason. His scoreless streak was snapped by the Cubs (with a little help from the umpires), but his numbers are still eye-popping: 10 saves, a 1.17 ERA, 29 strikeouts, just three hits allowed, and a .118 batting average against. He's been untouchable.
Off the field, the Padres' sale to José E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones, was officially announced on Saturday. The deal is expected to be finalized at the next MLB owners' meeting in early June—or possibly sooner if a virtual vote is held. According to reports from Dennis Lin of The Athletic and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Feliciano and Jones will own about 40% of the team, with other partners joining in. Alfredo Harp Helú and multiple members of the Seidler family will retain ownership stakes as well.
On the mound, Griffin Canning made his Padres debut and helped the Friars salvage a win against the White Sox, snapping a four-game losing streak. He was called up to replace Germán Márquez, who landed on the injured list.
It's been a tough stretch, but there's still time for the Padres to turn things around. A good series against the Giants could be just what the doctor ordered.