For the San Diego Padres, the good news out of the first two games is their bullpen has allowed just one run in 11 innings and been responsible for two wins over the visiting Atlanta Braves.
The bad news is that said bullpen can’t be asked for more than half the outs in every game if San Diego is to have another good season. That’s why manager Mike Shildt — and probably more than a few of the bullpen arms — are hoping Randy Vasquez can put together a lengthy outing when the Padres try to secure a series win over Atlanta on Saturday.
“They’ve been absolutely fantastic,” Shildt said of the bullpen, “but we don’t want to have to rely on them as much.”
Vasquez, who was 4-7 with a 4.87 ERA in 20 outings last year for San Diego, might be extended on Saturday even if he’s not at the top of his game. The Padres might not have him in the rotation were it not for Yu Darvish landing on the injured list to start the year.
Vasquez has struggled in three career starts against the Braves, losing all of them and pitching to a 4.40 ERA. The former New York Yankee prospect absorbed a loss against Atlanta last year just before the All-Star break.
But San Diego has flashed enough offense to get the season’s first series off to a flying start. After stealing five bases Thursday in a 7-4 win, it got solo homers from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth on Friday night in a 4-3 triumph.
Cronenworth’s blast snapped a 3-3 tie in the last of the eighth inning as he ripped a hanging slider from Dylan Lee into the seats in right field.
“Jake doesn’t make the situation bigger than it is,” Shildt said. “We like his demeanor in the box, the way he’s been spraying balls over the field. He’s always prepared, knows what he’s going to see.”
While the Padres have showed off for their sellout crowds, the Braves hope to quiet Petco Park behind young right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach. He enjoyed a good rookie season, going 8-7 with a 3.35 ERA and fanning 127 hitters in 123 2/3 innings.
Schwellenbach particularly was impressive in a July win in San Diego, giving up only one run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts. He and Atlanta wouldn’t mind a repeat performance, given that the bullpen has looked shaky so far.
The losses of A.J. Minter (New York Mets) and Joe Jimenez (knee) have left manager Brian Snitker without two of his better late-inning options from 2024. Hector Neris gave up three runs and got no outs on Thursday, while Lee pitched well in his first two innings of the year but gave up a game-losing mistake to Cronenworth.
“We don’t know what the right mix is going to be yet until we play these games,” Snitker said. “I like where we’re at.”
Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale seconded his skipper after his Thursday start.
“We not only have all the confidence in the world in this team, but more specifically, in this bullpen,” he said.
–Field Level Media
