Richards takes loss in return, gives team hope for 2020

The Padres lost 5-1 Monday night and were officially eliminated from postseason contention. The irony is while losing essentially ends this season, the debut of Garrett Richards signifies the beginning of the 2020 season. Richards didn’t disappointment.

The veteran right hander went 3 ²⁄₃ and struck out 5. He was tagged with 3 ER and threw just over 60 pitches. This was essentially an extended rehab assignment against one of the better offenses in the league. Not too shabby.

He made a few mistakes over the plate but was generally sharp. The big news? No walks and no discomfort in the elbow.

In other words, great news.

Richards figures to get 2-3 more starts before the end of the season. Fans should be excited to see him pitch considering he spent his prime years dealing with this Injury. He finally got it fixed in the off-season, but he’s as fresh as a 26-27 year old.

Chris Paddack takes the mound tonight looking for his the 10th win. The team continues to stretch the rookie despite surpassing his innings limit. He’s gotten stronger in September.