Padres Round-up 08/26/20

Well, that didn’t go as planned. Despite coming off a legendary 7 game hot streak that resulted in a sweep of Texas, your Padres fell to the Seattle Mariners last night, losing 8-3 at Petco Park. RHP Chris Paddack struggled early, giving up 4 runs in his first 2 innings. The Padres tried to come back, but could only muster 3 runs, leaving 8 runners in scoring position in the game. The Friars will try to get back into the wins column tonight, as RHP Dinelson Lamet will face off against Seattle’s Taijuan Walker. Game time is at 1810 Pacific.

With that, let’s get into the news and notes:

• After last night’s performance, RHP Chris Paddack acknowledged he has some things to work on. “I haven’t been pleased with myself. There are some things I need to get fixed. I need to get back to the Chris Paddack I was last year.” Despite stretches where he looked dominant, Paddack also had stretches where he was eminently hittable, as his fastball leaked back over the plate or missed out of the zone. Still, Paddack remains confident he will find his command with his fastball, and the good starts will start piling up. “I just need to continue to put one step in front of another, keep my head up. I know if I continue to do what I need to be doing the good starts will start rolling around.”
• Despite the lack of offense last night, the Padres continue to have one of MLB’s best offenses. While much of the credit should go to the team’s collective approach to being more selective at the plate, another key component is the team’s use of pitching machines that throw breaking balls and high velocity fastballs at every opportunity, to include during BP before games.
• C Francisco Mejia will likely return to the team immediately once he returns from the IL today. Mejia has spent part of his time on the IL playing in the intrasquad games at USD, as he’s recovered from a bruised thumb. The team believes that the injury was at least partially to blame for Mejia’s offensive struggles, and Mejia will likely return to a platoon with C Austin Hedges. While Mejia will continue to start every other game or so, expect Hedges to serve as the team’s closer catcher, if you will, to catch the final 2-3 innings of a game.
• Expect the team to remain cautious with RHP Emilio Pagan. Pagan has experienced what he describes as a “throbbing headache” in his right bicep, though Manager Jayce Tingler notes that the pain doesn’t occur when he’s throwing, but afterwards. Also in injury news, LHP Drew Pomeranz played catch before the game Tuesday, and is on schedule to return to the team on Friday when he comes off the IL.
• A key component of RF Wil Myers’ early success? Not tinkering with his swing, and especially trusting in the plan hitting coach Damion Easley helped craft for him. As some folks noted in the round-up a few days ago, Wil has started the season off hot several times. Now, it’s really an issue of keeping Myers on track. As Tingler said, “I don’t think he’s going to feel as complete or as good about the season until he completes what he wants to do — and that’s go through the entire season staying disciplined and diligent to his approach. He would admit that it’s come and gone. His goal this year was to stay very disciplined with his plan. So far, through the halfway point, he has done that, but we’ve got a half to go.”
• With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, GM AJ Preller stresses that while he likes the team as is, he’s not just crossing his fingers and hoping for the best. “We’ll be prepared to see what else is out there that we could potentially add to this club,” Preller said. “… We’ll evaluate if it’s worth it for us — what we’d have to give up versus what it potentially does for our team. Playing into the postseason is always the goal.” While the focus remains mostly internal (LHPs Joey Lucchesi and MacKenzie Gore are both at the alternate site and poised to come to the team in September, with Lucchesi prepared to assume a relief role, if necessary), the team remains cognizant that there could be a deal or deals out there that could help the team, both in 2020 and beyond.
• Based on that focus, the SD-UT lists four Padres players that may generate substantial interest in a prospective trade partner, beyond blue-chippers like MacKenzie Gore, Luis Patiño, or CJ Abrams. Those players generating interest in early trade discussions include LHP Joey Lucchesi, SS Gabriel Arias, C Luis Campusano, and OF Edward Olivares.
• ESPN.com breaks down some of the key takeaways from MLB’s first half. Among their observatons is something every Padre fan already knows: Fernando Tatis Jr. is really, REALLY good. Take a look for some other observations, from the obvious to the less so.

That’s it for today. Let’s get back at it tonight.

Go Padres!!!