Padres bullpen taxed after Lamet’s early exit.
Craig Stammen entering Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to the Brewers in the third inning meant the Padres bullpen had to cover at least seven innings for the fourth time in 11 days.
“Hopefully, that’s the last time that happens,” Stammen said. “But it’s what we signed up for. We love being down there in the bullpen. We love being relied upon.”
They certainly have been relied upon, throwing more innings (872⁄3) than any other group of relievers.
Their seven innings Wednesday came after Dinelson Lamet departed with forearm tightness. They combined for 81⁄3 innings in a 12-inning game Friday, 71⁄3 innings when Blake Snell was pulled with two outs in the first inning April 13 in Pittsburgh and 81⁄3 innings when Adrian Morejon’s torn UCL forced him from his April 11 start at Texas after three batters.
Now the Padres head to Dodger Stadium for four games — with rookie Ryan Weathers scheduled to start today. Weathers threw 79 pitches in 32⁄3 innings, both career highs, this past Friday.
The Padres used seven relievers Wednesday. A couple threw for a second straight day. A couple others probably threw too many pitches to go again today. That means they will be shorthanded against the Dodgers, though they almost certainly will call up a reliever.
The Padres bullpen’s 2.67 ERA ranks third in the majors.
Off his feet, kinda
On Wednesday, Jake Cronenworth rested — until Padres manager Jayce Tingler called on him in the pinch in the fourth inning.
It was about time that Cronenworth was out of the starting lineup.
After nine innings at shortstop in Tuesday’s loss, the 27-year-old Swiss Army knife entered Wednesday leading the majors with 173 innings in the field.
Jurickson Profar has played 169 innings in the field after starting in right field on Wednesday Nobody else in the majors began the day with more than 160 innings in the field.
Perhaps the time off will allow Cronenworth to reset as he was 3-for-22 with six strikeouts and no walks over his last five games, all with elite pitchers on the mound to start the game: Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Trevor Bauer, Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes.
Cronenworth — who was 0-for-2 with a walk off the bench Wednesday — had struck out just four times in his previous 14 games, when he hit .358/.435/.491.
Notable
To make room on the roster for Lamet, the Padres optioned left-handed reliever Nick Ramirez to the alternate site. He or Nabil Crismatt could return if Lamet (or another pitcher) is placed on the injured list.
• Manny Machado has been playing banged up since at least late last week. He has started 12 of the 13 games the Padres have played in what will be a 17-game stretch without a day off. Said Machado: “I’m feeling all right. As good as you can be. It’s just everything. What is it, 17 in a row? It’s about that time.”
• Tingler was ejected in the eighth inning for coming out to discuss umpire Tom Hallion’s strike zone. The Padres were not pleased with the strike zone the past couple series. Said Machado: “Got to flip a coin, I guess.”