BUILT FOR SHORT HAUL
Not only is bullpen deep, but Padres also have a number relievers who can go more than an inning
If only everyone were as prepared for the pandemic as the Padres. “I don’t know if A.J. knew this would happen in the offseason or what,” reliever Craig Stammen said with a laugh. “He built our team for a sprint, essentially. Maybe this schedule is just what we need to get the Padres organization back in the playoffs. It’s going to be fun.”
His point was that a deep and talented bullpen, bolstered by two of General Manager A.J. Preller’s offseason acquisitions, has the makings of a significant advantage in a 60-game season wherein every game could be considered part of a playoff race.
The Padres almost certainly will need all of that depth, as a short season played in a pandemic is particularly beholden to the vagaries of injuries and coronavirus-related absences.
As if to test their strong standing, the Padres have already taken a couple hits since summer camp opened. Jose Castillo, a hardthrowing left-hander who excited the Padres as a late-inning option, is out at least half the season after suffering a lat strain this week. Also in recent days, Trey Wingenter has been dealing with troubling irritation in his right (throwing) elbow and could be sidelined an extended period.
The Padres are exploring trade options and evaluating free agents, as well as mulling options already in the organization to supplement their player pool and have pitchers at the ready in the event (likelihood) they take more hits.
Still, they have 10 healthy relievers in camp who threw at least 26 innings last season (and another four who threw at least five innings). That doesn’t include Pierce Johnson, who posted a 1.38 ERA and 0.80 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) in 58 games in Japan last season. It does include Drew Pomeranz, signed to a four-year, $34 million deal in November, and Emilio Pagan, acquired in trade in February after saving 20 games and posting the American League’s second-lowest rate of walks and hits per innings pitched (0.83) last season for the Rays.
“Guys that are still with us and all the additions,” catcher Austin Hedges said. “I love where we’re at.”
Fangraphs ranks the Padres bullpen as the sixth best in baseball, with their relievers worth 1.6 wins above replacement. The analytics site projects Padres relievers will put up the second-lowest ERA and the third-lowest FIP (fielding independent pitching) among all bullpens.
“This pitching staff is set up for a 162-game season,” Pagan said, reasoning that having arms aplenty is the greatest need over the usual grind of a six-month season. “… We have a lot of depth. I think that bodes well. It takes more than eight or nine guys, especially playing as many games as we’re playing in a short amount of time.”
Especially now, with every game having amplified importance and there being no need to keep something in reserve or be mindful that workload early could diminish per
“We have a lot of depth. I think that bodes well.”
Emilio Pagan • Padres reliever on the bullpen
formance late, it would seem manager Jayce Tingler is positioned to navigate the 2020 season better than most managers.
“You really don’t have to worry about blowing your bullpen out as much as you normally would,” Hedges said.
That’s what happened to the Padres last season.
The bullpen’s numbers after 60 games weren’t all that much better than they were 102 games later — a 4.38 ERA and 1.27 WHIP after 60 versus 4.59 and 1.30 after 162. But cracks in the pen began to show well before 60 games last season, in large part due to the workload the first month of the season.
Padres relievers were collectively among the best in the game with a 3.81 ERA through 29 games. In that span, they were handed a tied game or entrusted with a one-run lead in the sixth inning or earlier 10 times. They were asked to pitch more than three innings in 16 of those first 29 games.
With more relievers on the roster and more starters capable of lasting more than five innings this year — not to mention fewer games — the club’s hope is the strain will not show as much.
Tingler indicated Sunday the Padres will likely carry at least 15 pitchers. But there is no limit, and a scenario would seem to exist in which as many as 17 could be on the active roster when it consists of 30 players.
The Padres say they plan to go with the usual five starting pitchers and after a start or two hope the rotation is working deeper into games than the team has been able to count on in recent years. But Tingler acknowledged he will likely maneuver in these games more akin to a postseason scenario.
“We’re probably not going to have a lot of wiggle room to work out of jams,” Tingler said. “… Using quite a few guys in the bullpen could be a common thing.”
Closer Kirby Yates, who led the majors with 41 saves last season, spoke about one of the variances that could occur this year.
“People are going to get out of the gate quicker than you would in April,” Yates said. “I’d think there will be a couple more guys in the bullpen that throw two or three innings at a time more often based on the starter and seeing where the starters are at.
“I don’t think anybody knows what type of workload a starter can take based on what they’ve been able to do the last three months. There are innings that will fall to the bullpen. … I think we are more equipped to face this with the arms that we have. I think we will be prepared regardless of what
happens.”
Amid the Padres’ depth is length. Pomeranz, Luis Perdomo, Cal Quantrill and Matt Strahm all made multiple starts last season. Michel Baez, Jerad Eickhoff, Mackenzie Gore, Adrian Morejon and Luis Patiño are being stretched out as potential starters but could also fill in as long relievers.
Said Strahm: “You definitely have your workhorses in the pen that can do a little more for you.”
As he was in spring training, when facing a 162-game season, Preller has been reluctant to publicly proclaim an expectation the bullpen gives the Padres an advantage. His reasoning is that a group of relievers, perhaps more than any other subset of a team, are subject to performance swings.
Tingler conveyed the same reluctance this week even as he allowed for a reason to be secure in the arms he’ll be able to employ.
“We’re not big on talking about what this bullpen has done in the past,” he said. “Each year is a challenge — and especially with bullpens. Guys will have good years, guys will have bad years. We’re focused on this year ahead and getting everybody’s game as tight as we can. We feel confident that if we’ve got our A-game tight and guys are throwing the ball well … we like our chances.”
kevin.acee@sduniontribune.com