Padres (13 runs) are feeling it: ‘Really good’

SAN DIEGO – Right here’s a easy truth of life for the 2023 Padres: In the event that they’re going to succeed in the heights they imagine they’re able to reaching, they’re going to have to start out successful shut video games.

Their 5-13 report in one-run video games marks the fewest wins within the Majors. The identical goes for his or her 0-6 report in additional innings (evidently). Their struggles in these conditions are untenable.

And whereas that could be true, right here’s one other solution to view issues: The Padres’ +38 run differential — 4 runs higher than the first-place D-backs — signifies they’re most likely a significantly better crew than they’ve proven for a lot of the season’s first half.

On Friday evening, the Padres pounded the Nationals, 13-3at Petco Park. Coming off a 10-run win in San Francisco on Thursday, it marked the fourth time in franchise historical past the Padres had received consecutive video games by double digits and the primary time since Aug. 5-6, 2011.

“To have the ability to again up 10 runs with 13 tonight – it felt fairly good,” stated Padres supervisor Bob Melvin.

Ha-Seong Kim, Xander Bogaerts and Juan Soto all homered and had two hits apiece. Fernando Tatis Jr. had three hits and scored 3 times. Joe Musgrove was wonderful over seven innings of one-run ball.

Comfy as could be. And whereas the Padres don’t get any additional credit score for blowouts – the previous two victories don’t make up for the three shut losses that preceded them – there’s a college of thought that, nicely, their luck has to alter sooner or later.

Or, as Melvin put it previous to Friday’s recreation: “It tends to even out over 162.”

So the speculation goes. The Padres entered play Friday with a pythagorean win-loss report of 41-34. That means: Based mostly on all of the runs they’ve scored in contrast with all of the runs they’ve allowed, they need to be 5 wins higher than their precise report. (And that was earlier than Friday’s blowout.)

It’s little comfort. The standings are the standings. San Diego sits in fourth place8 1/2 video games behind Arizona and two video games beneath .500. To a person, the Padres are cautious of falling again on underlying numbers. Their poor report this season can’t be boiled all the way down to dangerous luck — a minimum of not solely.

“It’s our execution in a few of these [close] video games,” Melvin stated. “Final 12 months, we have been pretty much as good as we could possibly be in these. This 12 months we have now not been but. It’ll come.”

Added Musgrove: “Yeah, we have now a great run differential, however when we have to win by one or two, we’re not doing that very nicely. I don’t know what that’s, both. This clubhouse doesn’t have guys that, like, panic in these massive stress conditions. However again ends of bullpens are actually good now, and we simply haven’t been in a position to push that run throughout late.”

Within the meantime, the Padres will fortunately take the blowouts as they arrive. Kim led the cost on Friday, launching the primary leadoff house run of his massive league profession. (His first first-inning homer of any variety, for that matter.) It additionally marks the primary time Kim has homered in consecutive video games within the Majors.

“There’s ups and downs,” Kim stated via Korean interpreter Leo Bae. “However proper now, I really feel good each at-bat.”

Kim singled house two extra within the fifth and narrowly missed one other homer within the sixth. He has began within the leadoff spot in consecutive video games towards lefty starters, and he has thrived there, leaving Melvin with a call to make towards Nationals right-hander Josiah Grey on Saturday.

Kim hasn’t been practically as productive towards righties. However his presence within the prime spot naturally lengthens the San Diego lineup — to the purpose the place Bogaerts, a five-time Silver Slugger, is hitting fifth. It was Bogaerts who broke the sport open with a three-run homer within the fifth, his first house run in exactly one month.

“At this time felt good,” stated Bogaerts, who was given Thursday off after his latest struggles. “At this time felt actually good. I felt extraordinarily near myself. Tomorrow, I’ve simply obtained to return right here with the identical angle and do the identical issues and proceed creating these good habits, keep on level.”

The identical needs to be stated of the Padres. In the event that they do the little issues nicely, their execution — and their luck — in shut video games ought to change.

“These video games are going to occur each from time to time,” stated first baseman Jake Cronenworth, who reached base 3 times. “The shut video games are going to occur extra typically. You’ve obtained to win each.”