The Padres don’t have Jackson Merrill. They don’t have Jake Cronenworth. They weathered a scare from Fernando Tatis Jr. but may have added Brandon Lockridge to an injury pile that already included Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove before even the first pitch of the season.
They’ve rolled right along away, running out to a 13-3 start that’s tied with the 1998 NL pennant-winner for the best start in franchise history.
More importantly, the Padres have baseball’s best record and a perfect 10-0 record at home as they look to stay ahead of the surprising Giants and the defending champion Dodgers in baseball’s best division.
Of course, it’s only April, so it’s hardly the time for anyone to puff out their chest over what’s been accomplished so far amid the obstacles that have piled up in recent days.
“Winners find solutions,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said as he assessed how the team might fill center field if their backup ed the starter on the injured list.
It’s a common Shildt-ism that emerged during last year’s run to the NLDS, right up there with “grit squad” and a team that “gives nothing away in competition.”
They’re all clichés at this point, yes, but you know what they say about cliches:
They’re true.
1 | San Diego Padres (13-3, Last week: 3)
Since 1901, teams have been blanked over a series of three games or more 34 times. Blanked by the Dodgers 25-0 in a season-opening sweep in 2016, the Padres know the feeling. This weekend, they beat up on someone else for a change, with Michael King’s shutout capping a sweep in which the Padres outscored the Rockies 16-0 over three games.
2 | San Francisco Giants (11-4, LW: 1)
Maybe Bob Melvin’s first year in San Francisco would have gone a lot better with a healthy Jung Hoo Lee, who has three homers and a 1.130 OPS in 14 games since returning from last year’s season-ending shoulder injury.
3 | Los Angeles Dodgers (11-6, LW: 2)
With Freddie Freeman back from the injured list, the Dodgers are inching closer to full strength. Still to come: Blake Snell, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, Tony Gonsolin and Clayton Kershaw, among others.
4 | Chicago Cubs (11-7, LW: 8)
Justin Steele’s season-ending elbow injury put a damper on what was an otherwise heck of a weekend in Los Angeles, where the Cubs outscored the Dodgers 20-5 in taking two of three.
5 | New York Mets (10-5, LW: 7)
Good thing the Mets held onto Pete Alonso (4 HRs, 18 RBIs, 1.091 PS) because Juan Soto (1 HR, 4 RBIs, .794 OPS) is not hitting like a $700 million man just yet.
6 | Detroit Tigers (9-6, LW: 12)
Brandt Jobe still competes on the Champions Tour, but golf had to have been the further thing from his mind even on Masters weekend, what with son Jobe winning his first MLB game for the Tigers.
7 | Texas Rangers (9-7, LW: 4)
With a 4.30 ERA and six walks in 14⅔ innings to start his first full season following a second elbow reconstruction, Jacob deGrom is … wait for it … human after all (so far).
8 | Philadelphia Phillies (9-6, LW: 5)
A fast start from Taijuan Walker (0.00 ERA, 10 ⅔ IP) is helping the Phillies weather slow starts from Zack Wheeler (4.07 ERA) and Aaron Nola (5.51 ERA).
9 | Los Angeles Angels (9-6, LW: 9)
Looks like right field is going to be an adjustment for Mike Trout, who had a ball ripped from his glove by a fan while reaching into the stands for a catch on Saturday a la Mookie Betts in last year’s World Series. Unlike the Betts play, the Trout play was ruled a foul ball.
10 | New York Yankees (8-7, LW: 6)
The Yankees have already lost Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery and reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil a lat injury. Marcus Stroman is hardly in the same class, but pitching injuries are mounting as Stroma’s knee issue sends him to the injured list.
The rest
- 11 | Milwaukee Brewers (8-8, LW: 15)
- 12 | Toronto Blue Jays (9-7, LW: 14)
- 13 | Cleveland Guardians (8-7, LW: 24)
- 14 | Arizona Diamondbacks (9-7, LW: 11)
- 15 | Miami Marlins (8-7, LW: 13)
- 16 | Cincinnati Reds (8-8, LW:21)
- 17 | Kansas City Royals (8-8, LW: 20)
- 18 | Houston Astros (7-8, LW: 16)
- 19 | Boston Red Sox (8-9, LW: 10)
- 20 | Seattle Mariners (8-8, LW: 25)
- 21 | Baltimore Orioles (6-9, LW: 18)
- 22 | Washington Nationals (6-9, LW: 23)
- 23 | Tampa Bay Rays (7-8, LW: 19)
- 24 | St. Louis Cardinals (7-8, LW: 17)
- 25 | Oakland Athletics (6-10, LW: 22)
- 26 | Pittsburgh Pirates (5-11, LW: 27)
- 27 | Atlanta Braves (4-11, LW: 30)
- 28 | Chicago White Sox (4-11, LW: 28)
- 29 | Minnesota Twins (5-11, LW: 26)
- 30 | Colorado Rockies (3-12, LW: 29)
