Padres' Randy Vasquez Had Brutal Travel Day, Leading to Worst Start of 2025 Season

Flight delays are one of life's unavoidable nuisances for those who travel often.

Turns out baseball players are just like the rest of us in that regard.

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On Sunday, Padres pitcher Randy Vásquez planned to fly to Detroit ahead of the rest of the team. That's not unusual for a starting pitcher, especially under the circumstances. The Padres' game against the Houston Astros was selected for a Sunday Night Baseball telecast by ESPN.

While the rest of the Padres players, coaches and staff planned to catch a later flight, Vásquez hoped to enjoy a good night's sleep in the vicinity of Comerica Park, the site of his fifth start of the 2025 season.

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Instead, the pitcher told reporters (including A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com) after the 6-5 loss that he was forced to board and deplane four times due to a mechanical issue. Eventually that flight was canceled, and he flew with the team, arriving around 4 a.m. Monday morning. (Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune put Vasquez's arrival closer to 3:30.)

The result was Vásquez's worst start of the season. He lasted just two innings against the Tigers, allowing five hits, three walks, and six runs — all earned. His ERA ballooned from 1.74 to 3.97.

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Vásquez was not in the mood for making excuses after the game.

“I wasn’t able to execute my pitches today,” he said, via the Union-Tribune. “Mostly, the biggest difference was that I didn’t attack the hitters as I’ve been doing previously. I got into a lot of long counts, a lot of base on balls, and that ultimately was what cost me.”

Vásquez, a 26-year-old right-hander, was part of the Padres' return for Juan Soto in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade in Dec. 2023.

Last season, he went 4-7 with a 4.87 ERA in 20 starts. Although his surface stats (84 ERA+, 1.510 WHIP) were subpar, he entered the 2025 regular season with a spot in the Padres' five-man rotation behind Michael King, Dylan Cease, and Nick Pivetta.

Injuries to Yu Darvish (elbow inflammation), Joe Musgrove (Tommy John sugery) and Matt Waldron (oblique) have only increased Vásquez's importance to the Padres' staff.

If the Tigers' ease with Vásquez were a simple byproduct of a long night at the airport, it would almost be a best-case scenario for the Padres.

“A lot of long counts, a lot of bases on balls,” Vásquez said through interpreter Pedro Gutierrez, via Cassavell. “That ultimately was what cost me (Monday).”

Vásquez is 7-11 with a 4.26 ERA in 36 games (30 starts) over the last three seasons with the Padres and Yankees.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.