The Padres played some bright, clean, exciting baseball during their first road trip of the season.
Tuesday night was not one of those games.
The Friars want to forget their 8-4 defeat against the Pirates as soon as possible. Blake Snell turned in the second shortest start of his career and in the first innings brought his score to 38. Will Myers is in the fourth innings with an inflamed right knee. The Padres ran into an unfathomable five runners and also made a few mistakes.
But even though the game was sloppy – and sometimes downright ugly – it was a striking development for the Padres. Here are some short takeaways:
1) Snell must bounce back quickly
His next start is the one he has been waiting for – a rematch with the Dodgers on Sunday after his fast hooker in Game 6 of the World Series last year. Snell has been mostly sharp since his arrival in San Diego, but he has not been as efficient as he would like. Tuesday’s start took it to the extreme. He scored just two-thirds of an innings, his shortest outing since June 2019.
“There’s no reason for me to go on the trip I had,” Snell said. “I have to learn from it, from the mistakes I made.”
Snell found himself in two counts throughout, but was unable to put victims away. After that, he was visibly upset to be removed so early, but later said he understood the logic – it’s a long season and all. As for the start against the Dodgers:
“I can not wait,” he said.
2) The Padres miss Austin Nola
Victor Caratini excelled as the team’s leading scorer. But rookie Luis Campusano looks just like the raw defense product you would expect from a 22-year-old who just started his 146th professional game behind the bar, including Minor League.
“He’s going to make mistakes,” Tingler said before the game. ‘That’s right. We understand that this will not be the best version of him at the moment. It could be in three, four, five years. But we want to make sure he keeps growing. ”
The best place for growth for Campusano may be regular representatives in the minors. Regarding Nola, who would return later this month, Tingler said: ‘It’s just a matter of keeping the swelling and [him] wildly sharp. ”
3) Ryan Weathers did not hit – which is remarkable
If ever there was a game for Weathers as the tall man is mentioned in the Padres’ bullpen, then it was this one. Unless, of course, Weathers is no longer the tall man in San Diego’s bullpen.
Remember, there is a vacancy in the Padres turn for Friday’s opening camp against the Dodgers. Weathers already seems like the most likely candidate to fill the void. Tingler’s decision on Tuesday night offered perhaps the biggest clue in that direction yet.
4) Nabil Crismatt saved the bull
Snell’s outing was the second time in three games that a starter from Padres did not make the first innings. It did not bode well for a beleaguered San Diego pin – until Crismatt finished high with five overs and 85 overs, both careers.
“If he’s not capable of that, our bullpen is really in a bad state,” Tingler said. “But we have to be in a decent condition tomorrow, just because of the way he’s acting.”
Do not be surprised if the Padres soon call for reinforcements, with right-hander Pierce Johnson returning.
5) It’s a bad time for an injury
Not that there is ever a good time. But the Padres are in the early stages of 17 games in 17 days, and their depth will be tested if Myers misses longer.
According to Tingler, Myers is day to day and Jorge Mateo replaced him in the right field on Tuesday night. Normally, in Myers’ absence, Jurickson Profar would have slipped to the right field. But Profar was forced to do extra field service with Fernando Tatis Jr. in the IL.
6) Are there fireworks?
Tuesday’s game recorded seven hits – only the ninth time both teams have scored three innings. Most of this was clearly unintentional. Pirates throwers were fickle all night and walked 13 Padres – a San Diego record for a nine-innings game.
But an HBP stood out. Half an innings after Mateo was hit on the wrist for the second time, Taylor Williams, Phillip Evans’ right-hand man drilled into the back with a fast ball with two out and no one on board.
“Personally, I was not surprised,” said Pirates catcher Jacob Stallings, although he added that he did not expect the proceedings to continue on Tuesday.
Fine by the Padres. They will not mind forgetting Tuesday night as quickly as possible.