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“PADRES–HELP WANTED”
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It was just a couple of years ago, but it seems like ages ago.
The years when the Padres got good and had frontline starting pitching that made them that way.
A few years worth of quality starts. Four starters cracking the 30-start barrier each. Lots of innings piled up. The banner seasons from Blake Snell, Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove and more.
That was then, this is now at this hour, a sudden chunk of bad news piling up on the Padres, just 3-weeks into the MLB season.
Nick Pivetta has gone on the disabled list with elbow inflammation, but there is little definition of what is really going on.
Pivetta just went thru an MRI-exam on Monday and the results are not in. Answers to my questions aren’t in either.
What did he feel on the mound? Was it a twinge? Was it a cramp? Was it a pop? Was it a searing pain?
Is there a bone spur or a bone chip in that elbow? Is there a torn tendon? Is there a frayed ligament?
Was the tightness in the elbow, or the forearm?
Had he had this type of feeling in the past with the Padres or Red Sox?
Will he receive a Plasma Platelet injection or a cortisone injection to help healing or quieting it down?
Much of this should be defined and described, because one thing, elbow, can be tied to the other ,forearm. And there are all levels of discomfort and trigger points to treat.
But beyond Pivetta’s status, there are so many other pieces of this puzzle.
Michael King has shown flashes of quality starts, but they have been pock-mocked by hits-walks-home runs. But he has stacked back to back strong starts to claim the cornerstone spot on the mound corps.
Randy Vasquez has roared into the season with a magical (1.02-ERA) to start the year.
But after tha, there are question marks everywhere.
Walker Buehler’s last start was in neon lights, but he is probably on a start to start basis to see if he can be vintage Buehler. The same has to be said of German Marquez, good outing, bad outings, walks and home runs included.
The Joe Musgrove journey must be wrapped around the word ‘patience’ for it takes time to comeback from this surgery, and it’s been just a year plus. Some take two to bounce back from. Some, sadly, never bounce back. He is back to square on in his throwing program.
There are no guaranteed insurance policy pitchers in the system.
Journeyman JP Sears is a back of the rotation guy, his ERA-at-El Paso is (4.73) and he gives up HR balls. Matt Waldron, the 2024 surprise, is back, after 12-shutout innings at El Paso and with increased velo on his fastball and knuckler. But that was in the PCL and this is MLB.
Griff Canning appears two starts away on his rehab and provides some hope coming off the Achilles injury, with what he has done in those minor league outings (3.18-ERA), but he is a back of the rotation guy at best.
Kyle Hart has yet to prove he can start in the majors, and is a bridge reliever for a couple of innings. The ex-Cleveland Guardian Tristan McKenzie cannot harness his stuff (13.56) at El Paso. Journeyman starter Marco Gonzalez (7.90) is a shadow of what he was in Seattle.
There’s nothing left at AAA, and too many kids at AA.
There might be excess pitching you can trade for, but at what price? Ethan Salas?
Do you dare entertain the idea of ex-Dodger Trevor Bauer or teammate Julio Urias, one in Independent League, the other in Mexico, not even pitching. Talent but toxic talent.
Yes it is early in the season, and the depths of Pivetta’s injury aren’t fully known.
But I cannot imagine thinking the Padres can go an extended spring into summer if your rotation is King-Vasquez, plus hoping Buehler-Marquez hold up, and trusting a journeyman like Waldron or a recycled Canning can give you quality starts.
Red flags right now with starters 3-4-5 don’t you say?
30-starts per season from four frontline starters won’t be coming thru the clubhouse doors at Petco soon.
The next piece of news will be the complete details on Pivetta, followed by the tough decisions for AJ Preller-how are you going to fix this situation on the mound?
‘Help Wanted’..yes. Getting help will be the hard part.
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