2019 MLB Season: The Best Surprises of the First Month
By Ben Fadden
San Diego Padres Are Ahead of Schedule
The San Diego Padres were scheduled to be contending starting in 2020, but they have proved everyone wrong by contending this year.
At one point they were three games up on the Los Angeles Dodgers before they came back and won six games in a row.
Right now they sit at three games over .500 at 16-13 and two games back of the Dodgers for first place in the National League West.
Although Manny Machado has not hit well in the first month, it seems he has brought a different type of energy to Petco Park.
Padres ownership made a season-altering decision by allowing Fernando Tatis Jr. and Chris Paddack to make the Opening Day roster.
The young phenom shortstop and Rookie of the Year favorite is hitting .300 in his first month in the big leagues.
Chris Paddack has arguably been the Padres best starter, posting a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings. His last home start was the first time in his professional career that he went seven innings. He struck out nine Mariners hitters and allowed just one hit and no earned runs.
Closer Kirby Yates is leading the league in saves with 13 and currently owns a 0.60 ERA.
Wil Myers has led the offense as of late, hitting five homers to start the year with eleven RBI’s.
Their offense has struggled the last few games in Washington and Atlanta, but the main reason is because of an absence on the left side of the infield.
Fernando Tatis Jr. left Sunday’s game in the 10th inning after doing the splits while attempting to get a force out on a bunt at second. He was able to leave the game under his own power but was then placed on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain.
It will be hard for the starting rotation to sustain their early success, but the Padres will try to combat that by calling up some minor leaguers like Cal Quantrill, who will be making his MLB debut on Wednesday in Atlanta.