Padres Relievers Open Up on Dramatic Collapse After Lights Out Start

San Diego Padres relievers Jeremiah Estrada and Jason Adam addressed the recent performances of a struggling Padres bullpen.

The Padres have the worst bullpen ERA in the National League in May after their dominant start to the season where they did not lose any of the first 22 leads they were given. Their 7.71 mark this month is only better than the Los Angeles Angels, who sit at 10.62.

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“It’s a hard game,” Estrada said to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune. “You’re gonna have days I’ll face top lineups, and I throw those two exact pitches and get punchies. And then I face a team like this and this happens. Everyone is going to have a night. Mariano Rivera had a night. We have dogs here. Things just don’t go your way sometimes. It’s baseball. ... I could be pissed about it, which I am. But we’re facing big leaguers. We’re facing guys who are making a living and are on the same level as me. Tip my cap. It happens.”

The Padres fell behind the Angels in the top of the seventh inning Tuesday evening after Estrada gave up his first home run of the month, a two-run shot off the bat of pinch hitter Matthew Lugo. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a walk off home run to win the game for the Friars two innings later.

“The hardest part about being in the bullpen is being consistent and showing up every day,” Adam said to Acee. “There are just days your body doesn’t feel well. There are so many factors. And we have to try to go out there and get the job done every time. The good bullpens, they get it done 97% of the time. Yuki [Matsui] has been great. Outside of that, all of us have had an outing recently where we are not pleased with how we’ve performed.

“There is never an excuse for that, but the bigger issue is what do you do after that outing and how do you take good and bad from every outing and continue to grow. The good bullpens grow throughout the season from the ups and downs. And then over the course of the season the number kind of work themselves out and we just pick each other up.”

Adam didn't make an appearance for five days after he blew a 3-1 lead May 7 against the Yankees. He played both Tuesday and Wednesday, pitching two scoreless innings and only allowing one baserunner.

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The Padres bullpen bounced back in their 5-1 win in the final game against the Angels Wednesday evening, throwing three scoreless innings to see their win out. They will hope to continue to see production from their relievers as they chase the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Their next challenge is a three-game series against the AL West leading Seattle Mariners.

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