If the San Diego Padres make the playoffs this year, their bullpen will likely count as a primary factor.
The Padres, who lead the majors in bullpen ERA (3.15) and saves (35), are set to face the host Miami Marlins on Tuesday night in the second game of a three-game series.
In the opener on Monday, San Diego won 2-1 as its bullpen pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings.
Following the game, Marlins rookie manager Clayton McCullough heaped praise on the Padres’ relief corps. This month, San Diego became the first team in major league history to have three relievers selected for the All-Star Game — Robert Suarez, Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam — and all three of them pitched on Monday.
“Those are high-end bullpen arms,” McCullough said.
The Padres also have a good arm set to start on Tuesday — right-hander Dylan Cease, who is closing in on the one-year anniversary of his July 25 no-hitter against the Washington Nationals.
Crease, though, is struggling this year with a 3-9 record and a 4.64 ERA. The Padres are 10-10 in his 20 starts this year, but Cease has lost his past three decisions.
In two career starts against the Marlins, Cease is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA.
He will hope to get more backing from a San Diego offense that managed only five hits on Monday and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Jake Cronenworth and Jose Iglesias each had five hits over the weekend as the Padres took two of three at Washington, but they went a combined 0-for-7 on Monday.
“Cronenworth has been a good staple at the bottom (of the lineup),” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “He has hit higher in the lineup for us historically.
“(Iglesias), over the past six weeks or so, has put together a consistent stretch. Him being able to perform on both sides of the ball is very valuable.”
The two will look to bounce back against a Miami team that has 21 wins over the past 33 games. The Marlins, though, will need to win their next two games to clinch their third straight series.
On Tuesday, the Marlins will start Sandy Alcantara, who is 2-2 with a 4.04 ERA in five career starts against the Padres. He took a no-decision at San Diego on May 28 after allowing six runs on seven hits in four innings.
Alcantara, who won the 2022 National League Cy Young Award, missed last season following Tommy John surgery. He came back at the start of this season, but he hasn’t been his old self, posting a 4-9 record and a 7.14 ERA.
In his past four outings, Alcantara went 0-1 with a 8.61 ERA. On the plus side, he tossed at least six innings in three of those starts.
Alcantara and the Marlins would love to see Kyle Stowers continue his hot streak. The team leader in home runs belted No. 22 on Monday, giving him six homers in his past five games.
The Marlins are also bullish on rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez, who has 21 doubles, one triple, 14 homers, 44 RBIs and a .743 OPS through his first 75 major league games.
Ramirez’s defense, however, is a work in progress, though his framing on Monday resulted in a strikeout of Fernando Tatis Jr. on a pitch that was below the strike zone.
“He continues to improve his receiving, especially at the bottom of the strike zone,” McCullough said. “He’s doing a good job of getting under those pitches and presenting them to the umpires.
“There is more room for (Ramirez’s) growth, but his handling of the pitchers and his in-game communication have been lights out.”
–Field Level Media
