The San Diego Padres are taking an unusual approach to starting pitching as they try to sweep the Marlins.
The San Diego Padres will take the field today with a chance to sweep the Miami Marlins today, and they also have a chance to pass Miami as they’ve inserted themselves back in the wild card race. The Padres are currently three games out, although they do still have three teams in front of them in the standings.
Walker Buehler will take the mound for San Diego today, but calling him a starter might be a bit of a stretch these days. The Padres are going with an unusual approach, with Michael King as the only convetional starter, while everyone else is on notice for a quick hook if they struggle early.
“We’re all under the same understanding that we’ll all be ready to go whenever we’re called,” said starter-turned-long-man JP Sears in an article by AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “Whatever we need to do to win every day, I’ll be on board.”
The other hurlers echoed Sears’ comments, and manager Craig Stammen further clarified the unconventional plan.
“That’s going to be the norm here probably, going forward,” Stammen said. “Until we get some reinforcements or find guys that can handle that traditional starting role.”
Miami, meanwhile, will send Jason Junk to the mound as they try and stop their 11-game losing streak. Junk has been something of a feast-or-famine starter for the Marlins, and he gave up six runs in four innings against the Houston Astros in his last outing, with a pair of good starts before that. Junk comes in with an ERA of 5.09, so there’s another opportunity at hand for the Padres if they can step up and take advantage of it.
Offensively, the Padres looked more like themselves yesterday, as they were able to break out to an early lead, then add on in the later innings. Jackson Merrill has been hitting well lately, but the Padres’ winning formula is to get production from up and down the lineup, and they’re willing and able to play small ball when necessary.
They certainly have the right opponent to do that against. The Marlins can’t get out of their own way lately, and their losing streak has featured some ugly games.
A win in this one would further establish the Padres as possible playoff contenders, and it might even convince ownership to go out and get them some of those desperately needed pitching reinforcements. The trade deadline is just over a week away, and the Pdres need help if they’re going to do this.
