The San Diego Padres are on fire since the All-Star break with a 35-16 record. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s return boosts their lineup, and Yu Darvish strengthens their playoff rotation. Trade deadline moves have also fortified their bullpen.
This team looks ready to win its first World Series title. But, there’s a concern: Robert Suarez.
Suarez was amazing until early August but has struggled recently. Since August 8, he’s allowed runs in seven out of fifteen games, resulting in a 6.13 ERA and only striking out 11 batters in nearly 15 innings . Before this slump, he had an impressive 1.42 ERA and struck out 43 batters over more than 44 innings.
Padres manager Mike Shildt isn’t showing worry publicly despite Suarez giving up a game-tying home run to Heliot Ramos recently. “Human,” Shildt said about Suarez’s recent performance via the San Diego Union Tribune. “He was basically (better than) human the first however many parts of the season… But you know, he’s throwing 99, 100, 101.”
Manager’s Perspective:
Shildt believes Suarez will bounce back even though his recent outings have been shaky. Fans might feel anxious about this situation as closers play a critical role in tight games.
Despite Suarez’s struggles, it hasn’t cost the Padres much—they’ve lost only two of those fifteen games where he faltered. However, if he had maintained his early-season form, they might be closer to catching the Dodgers for the NL West lead.
The bullpen needs stability at its core; otherwise, dreams of a World Series could fade away quickly with blown leads from an unreliable closer.
There are other options too:
– Tanner Scott: An All-Star closer with Miami Marlins before being traded; he has continued his strong performance with a low ERA and high strikeout rate.
– Jason Adam: Though not always used as a full-time closer before joining Padres, he’s been stellar since August.
– Bryan Hoeing: Not typically seen as a closing option but has excelled since joining Padres; could be valuable for middle innings during playoffs.
Shildt seems likely to stick with Suarez as closer for now despite these alternatives available within their roster.
It might help if Suarez gets some less stressful innings while others like Hoeing handle critical moments temporarily—this could help him regain confidence without risking game outcomes too much.
Experienced managers like Shildt understand that changing roles can impact players mentally; moving Suarez out now might do more harm than good if it affects his confidence negatively long-term.
Ultimately though—Padres have what it takes for championship glory—they just need everyone performing optimally heading into October playoffs!
What do you think? Should they switch things up or stick with what they’ve got?
