SAN DIEGO — The Padres went into the All-Star break with a second straight loss. Worse, they are limping.
They lost 3-1 to the Rockies in front of 38,235 at Petco Park on Sunday, and they will be a little light coming out of the four days off, as an apparent knee injury suffered by Ryan Weathers on Sunday further depleted their starting rotation. (Box score.)
After what is considered the season’s “first half,” the Padres are six games out of first place in the National League West and 3½ games up in the race for the second NL wild card spot.
But they are 19-21 since beginning the season 34-19.
A big reason for their inconsistency is a frequently fluctuating offense, which on Sunday scored one run after loading the bases with no outs in the second inning and got one hit over the final seven innings, a two-out single by Eric Hosmer in the ninth inning. In losing the past two games against the Rockies, the Padres managed a total of nine hits. After getting a triple, double and single within their first six batters Sunday, the Padres closed out the game by going 1-for-24 with four walks.
The Rockies, who still have the worst road record in the majors (9-34), got two solo homers Sunday. The Padres’ last home run was hit by relief pitcher Daniel Camarena 32 innings ago.
Given that the offense recently ascended to the level expected for a two-week period, the more pressing problem for a contending team is its unraveling starting pitching.
The Padres have two healthy starters, and neither Joe Musgrove nor Chris Paddack has pitched well lately. In fact, Padres starters have a 7.63 ERA and have amassed a total of just 48 1/3 innings over the past 11 games.
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The possibility of trading for a starting pitcher (or two) before the July 30 trade deadline likely accelerated to something more than a probability on Sunday.
Weathers rolled through the first two innings on 26 pitches and surrendered a first-pitch single to Garrett Hampson to start the third. Rockies pitcher Jon Gray then popped a bunt to the right of the mound, which Weathers grabbed near the first base line. As he went to tag Gray, Weathers’ right cleat appeared to stick in the dirt. The only part of Weathers that collided with Gray was his glove hand, which caused the ball to pop out.
Weathers writhed on the ground, obviously in significant pain as he held his right knee and was attended to by athletic trainers before eventually being helped off the field.
Pierce Johnson replaced Weathers and stranded both runners. Chris Paddack made his first career relief appearance in the fourth inning and allowed a two-out homer by C.J. Cron that tied the game 1-1.
Paddack pitched a scoreless fifth before being succeeded by Craig Stammen, who got through the sixth before yielding a solo home run to pinch hitter Chris Owings with one out in the seventh.
Tim Hill replaced Stammen and finished the inning before Emilio Pagán worked a scoreless eighth. Mark Melancon looked as if he would get through the ninth unscathed, but Jake Cronenworth’s throw to complete an inning-ending double play sailed wide of first base and allowed Garrett Hampson to score from second.
The Padres could come out of the All-Star break with four starting pitchers on the injured list, though two are expected to return in short order.
Yu Darvish was placed on the 10-day IL Sunday with right hip inflammation. He left his start Thursday against the Nationals after three innings. He won’t be eligible to return until July 19 when the Padres open a series in Atlanta.
Blake Snell, who is on the IL with gastroenteritis, is eligible to return the first day after the break when the Padres are in Washington.
Dinelson Lamet has been on the IL June 27, the day after he left a start after 2 1/3 innings with forearm inflammation. He is expected to return before the end of July, but what role he might play is uncertain.
