The last thing the San Diego Padres needed was an injury to their starting rotation. But ahead of the pivotal and possible division-defining series against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend, the team lost Michael King to the 15-day IL due to inflammation in his knee. And just like that, everyone saw what might keep this Padres team from going on a deep postseason run.
I guess it was a good thing they held onto Dylan Cease at the trade deadline because they need all the depth they can get, especially with the injury=prone starting rotation they have. They got King back for all of two innings after he was just activated off the IL and now might have to keep him out until the postseason to ensure he’s healthy for the playoffs.
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San Diego Padres latest injury highlights biggest flaw that could hold them back from postseason success
The Padres needed to be as healthy as possible with the Los Angeles Dodgers series up next. The Dodgers have an easier strength of schedule than the Padres to end the season, which is one more hump for the Padres to get over if they want to not only win the division but finally get past the Dodgers in the postseason, which seems to be a recurring theme.
San Diego’s starting rotation isn’t horrible, they’re just very injury-prone from King to guys like Yu Darvish and Nestor Cortes (not to mention Joe Musgrove, currently on the shelf as he recovers from Tommy John). Preller did everything he could at this year's trade deadline to patch San Diego's holes and put the team in position to make a World Series run, but while he added Mason Miller to MLB's best bullpen and Ryan O'Hearn, Ramon Laureano and Freddy Fermin to the lineup, the rotation went comparatively neglected.
Now that seems like a tough task, especially with the liability this starting rotation is. King is the most recent pitcher to be slammed by injuries. At this point, the question becomes for the Padres: Which one is next? And that’s not conducive to a successful postseason run.
King’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time and now the Padres have a thin staff against a team on their heels in the division race. The winner of the Padres-Dodgers series will likely finish out the season as division winners. The Padres can’t afford to lose this series and lose their division lead. It might bring back terrible memories Preller and the Padres were hoping to eliminate this year.