SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The San Diego Padres were outscored 15-3 while being swept by the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series this weekend, highlighting a concerning trend in the team's offensive production.
The Padres failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities throughout the series, going 0-for-21 with runners in scoring position. This statistic has proven crucial to the team's success this season.
In their 27 victories, the Padres are batting .329 with runners in scoring position. That average plummets to just .129 in their 18 losses.
Despite the disappointing weekend, Manager Mike Shildt remains confident in his team's ability to deliver in clutch situations.
"This is one of those things where the game tests you. It actually even paints an even clearer picture of when we're going well, which is a lot of the time, of what we do to help us win baseball games. And we've done that a lot. And we're going to do it again," Shildt said following Sunday's loss.
"That being said, we do have higher expectations when we get opportunities to deliver more than we did this series. And we will. There's no concern on my part at all. We just need to get back to our game and what that looks like and we'll be ready on Tuesday," Shildt said.
The Padres continue to experiment with their left field position. Designated hitter Gavin Sheets got the start on Sunday but showed his inexperience as an outfielder when he awkwardly turned around on a fourth-inning double by Rowdy Tellez, losing his glove over the fence on the play.
Another potential option for the outfield is now unavailable after Oscar Gonzalez was given his unconditional release to pursue an opportunity to play in Japan, according to The Athletic's Dennis Lin.
The Padres will look to get back on track when they begin a six-game road trip with the opener of a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
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