Until they clinch, the Padres aren’t going to talk about their postseason rotation plans. I guess that’s fair enough. But pretty soon, it’s going to be the most important question they need to answer. The Padres can clinch a playoff spot TONIGHT at Petco Park, and I suspect the place will be rocking. (As usual.) Nick Pivetta is slated to face the Brewers in what seems likely to be his final start of the regular season. Pivetta has been the rotation’s stalwart. He’s posted a 2.81 ERA across 30 starts and has been a steadying presence all year long. Presuming Monday is his final start, Pivetta should be lined up to start Game 1 of a potential Wild Card Series on a week’s worth of rest. But … then who? This past weekend served as a de facto audition for the second and third spots in the Wild Card Series rotation. On Sunday, Michael King looked the part. |
Which isn’t to say King was flawless over his five-plus scoreless frames. He walked four White Sox hitters and missed plenty of spots. But it was the first time since he returned from the injured list earlier this month that he looked like himself. “I’m definitely getting close,” King said. “This last week, I almost liked being able to focus on mechanics and pitch sequencing and scouting the other team. Almost every time [previously], it was like, ‘How are you feeling after that last one?’, making sure I’m healthy. I didn’t want to have those conversations. I wanted to be like: You’re not on rehab anymore. Just go out there and compete.” The Padres haven’t finalized any plans obviously, but I think they’d greatly prefer for King to pitch Game 2 of a Wild Card Series. He’ll have one more start to establish a rhythm after he’d missed 3 1/2 months with a nerve injury that affected his shoulder strength, then a left knee injury. “It’s more so just getting back into the flow of the season,” King said. “As a rehab guy, obviously you’re out there cheering on your team. But you’re not part of the competition. So that’s the aspect of the game that almost comes back last. I’ve been really trying to lock in. … It’s definitely a process. But, yeah, we’ve got to turn it on.” If King looks sharp in his next outing -- presumably on Friday night against the Diamondbacks -- he’ll have earned his spot. He’s already proven that he’s more than capable of handling the October spotlight. He was the Padres’ Game 1 starter last postseason. And when he’s been healthy this year, King has still looked like an ace. |
OK, so… then who? Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish and Randy Vásquez round out the current rotation. There’s a case to be made for all three of them, though the track records of Darvish and Cease are obviously far more extensive. Then again, both have been wildly inconsistent this season. Over the weekend, they showed signs of quality but were essentially mediocre against a poor White Sox offense. Cease especially. He has the highest ceiling of the group, but he’s rarely tapped into that ceiling and hasn’t performed in the postseason. Darvish’s playoff track record is a mixed bag. But he was excellent for the Padres last year. Then again, his ERA sits north of 5, and he’s been especially prone to early blow-ups. That’s untenable in a short postseason series (and potentially a winner-take-all Game 3). |
Which brings us to Vásquez, who has been nails this season in the fifth-starter role the Padres have assigned him. He’s been sent down a couple times, and each time, he’s returned and continued to thrive. His raw numbers -- a 3.94 ERA across 25 starts -- are the best of the group, even if his peripheral numbers aren’t. Still, the Padres have very rarely entrusted Vásquez with working deep into games, and they’ve twice removed him from their rotation entirely. Would they now entrust him with a start in the postseason? Vásquez will get at least one more shot to make his case. Same goes for Darvish and Cease. The Padres have other goals to worry about right now, so they won’t be tipping their hand. “It’s interesting, because you’re living in two different places,” said manager Mike Shildt. “We’ve got to live in the present. And then evaluate and have plans for moving forward. But … the planning will ultimately take place when we wrap up our opportunity to play in the postseason.” Possibly later tonight -- after the champagne is popped. |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 85 walks out of the leadoff spot are the second most in a single season in Padres history. Who is first? A. Tony Fernández B. Rickey Henderson C. Quilvio Veras D. Alan Wiggins |
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B. Rickey Henderson Henderson drew 118 walks out of the leadoff spot during the 1996 season. |
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