Mexico City Series could be a blessing for the Padres

Hopefully the San Diego Padres can look back at this weekend in a few months and say that it was a blessing in disguise. They’re not playing their best baseball and this trip to Mexico City could serve as a mental break from the everyday grind of the season.

This isn’t going to be two normal games at Petco Park. Quite the opposite, actually. Petco is considered a pitcher-friendly ballpark but Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium is at an elevation of 7,320 feet, which is even higher than Coors Field (5,200 feet).

Translation: the Padres offense could score a ton of runs. If San Diego does breakout offensively, obviously that doesn’t mean they will continue scoring a bunch of runs next week against the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers but it could get Juan Soto’s confidence back. And if that’s the only thing that comes out of the series, then fans might consider it a success.

Soto enters today with a .183 average, a below average OPS+ and a career-high 57.8% ground ball rate. He’s 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

As for the pitching in this series, the Padres will have their best two starters on the mound and will be facing a familiar face in the first game.

Today: Sean Manaea (SF) vs. Joe Musgrove (SD)

First Pitch: 3:05 pm PT, Bally Sports San Diego, 97.3 The Fan

Manaea’s last outing (April 25): 1.1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR

Musgrove’s last outing (April 22): 5 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HR

Sunday: Alex Cobb (SF) vs. Yu Darvish (SD)

First Pitch: 1:05 pm PT, Bally Sports San Diego, 97.3 The Fan

Cobb’s last outing (April 24): 9 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Darvish’s last outing (April 23): 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 5 BB, 5 K, 0 HR

What are you most looking forward to about the Mexico City Series? Drop a comment below!