In three trades, the Padres landed Pham, Jurickson Profar and Trent Grisham– all understood for their ability to work counts, annoy pitchers and, ultimately, reach base.
Wil Myers and Manny Machado homered on Saturday night, as the Padres beat the D-backs, 5-1, to enhance to 2-0. The approach with which the San Diego offense dismantled D-backs starter Robbie Ray was a stark contrast to the Padres of the last years.
” In two games, theyve seen 100 more pitches than our offense,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo. “So theyre patiently waiting for their pitch. They seem to be in a really good rhythm with what their strategy is, and theyre performing. Theyre client in simply grinding down our beginners.”
Ray labored into the 4th inning, then he split. After Tommy Pham worked a walk and Ty France singled, Ray hung a 2-2 breaking ball to Myers, who dispatched it into the vacant left-field seats. It was the Padres first crowning achievement of the season and the very first by a designated hitter in a regular-season game in San Diego.
” Thats been what Jayce has actually preached on, actually grinding out at-bats, working good counts and truly winning that 3-2 count,” Myers stated.
Rather the opposite, in fact. For the majority of the last years, the Padres struggled tremendously at one of the most standard indicator of a functioning offense: reaching base. For five straight seasons, from 2014-18, they completed last in the Majors in on-base percentage. A year earlier, San Diego made the dive to 26th. That undoubtedly wasnt great enough, so basic manager A.J. Preller set out to fix the issue in the offseason.
” When you can put at-bats like that together over and over again, it simply endures the other team,” Myers stated. “Thats our M.O. this year, as far as our offense goes, to increase there and grind out at-bats. Thats how you win ballgames.”
Lamet exited after enabling a Starling Marte leadoff double in the 6th, and Tingler acknowledged afterward that he probably pushed his starter too far. He summoned Matt Strahm to face Eduardo Escobar, triggering the only tense moment of the night for the Padres. Escobar sent a towering drive toward the left-field corner that struck the marketing wall inches to the left of the nasty pole.
Throughout Summer Camp, Tingler frequently ran group workouts wearing a “.388 club” T-shirt, an ode to the career on-base percentage of Padres icon Tony Gwynn. Quite clearly, reaching base has actually been Tinglers top offensive top priority.
” Overall, were a very well-rounded team today thats come out and started hot.”
Those relocations have actually paid early dividends. Through two video games, Pham, Profar and Grisham have reached base 12 times in 24 plate appearances, including eight times through walk. That trio alone has actually seen 128 pitches in two nights– an average of 5.3 per plate look.
Because the Padres of the 2010s werent exactly the type of group that chased after starting pitchers after 97 pitches over 3 2/3 innings. Because the Padres of the 2010s werent exactly the type of team that chased after starting pitchers after 97 pitches over 3 2/3 innings. The technique with which the San Diego offense dismantled D-backs starter Robbie Ray was a stark contrast to the Padres of the last decade.
It was the Padres first home run of the season and the first ever by a designated player in a regular-season game in San Diego.
The Padres didnt invest the last decade ignoring on-base portion completely. Frame of mind just counts for so much. This year, they might finally have the personnel to turn those battles around.
On Saturday night, after entering the D-backs bullpen early, novice Edward Olivares lined a rocket double into the left-field corner for his first profession hit. In the seventh, Fernando Tatis Jr. smacked a leadoff double, before Machado released his first homer of the season, a 394-foot blast to left-center.
That was lots of offense for a Padres pitching personnel that has enabled simply three runs through two video games. Beginner Dinelson Lamet was sharp over five-plus innings, setting out eight and showcasing a fastball that touched 99 and 100 mph in the early stages of the game.
It was the closest the D-backs would come to a hit against the vaunted Padres bullpen. Strahm, Craig Stammen and Kirby Yates integrated for four no-hit innings in relief.
Throughout his period, Preller has actually spoken of his desire to change the dynamic of the Padres offense. But hes never acted quite like he did this winter season. In 3 trades, the Padres landed Pham, Jurickson Profar and Trent Grisham– all understood for their capability to work counts, irritate pitchers and, eventually, reach base.
” Its simply the mentality and the grind frame of mind our players have today,” said supervisor Jayce Tingler. “The important thing is weve got to do it once again tomorrow, and weve got to keep doing it.”
– Box score
SAN DIEGO– Must be a brand-new decade. Because the Padres of the 2010s werent precisely the type of team that chased starting pitchers after 97 pitches over 3 2/3 innings. They werent the kind of team that worked 13 full counts one night and 16 the next.
Quite the
SAN DIEGO– Must be a brand-new years. Since the Padres of the 2010s werent exactly the kind of team that chased beginning pitchers after 97 pitches over 3 2/3 innings. They werent the type of team that worked 13 complete counts one night and 16 the next.
” Since Ive been here, this is the most well-rounded group that weve had,” said Myers, the longest tenured Padre. “We have super stars, we have function gamers, we have great beginning pitchers, we have people that are available in and get people out in the 5th, 6th inning.
AJ Cassavell covers the Padres for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @ajcassavell.
