Padres' Closer Situation Has Mike Shildt Taking Creative Approach

Valentina Martinez | Aug 5, 2024

Aug 3, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Robert Suarez (75) throws against the Colorado Rockies during the ninth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports / David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres scored big in the trade deadline. Now, with a refurbished bullpen, manager Mike Shildt can get creative with who will close out the game for the Padres.

One thing is clear: Robert Suarez will be the primary closer.

“Robert’s done a great job for us this year,” pitching coach Ruben Niebla told Dennis Lin of the Athletic. “We’re not discounting that at all.”

Suarez has held right-handed hitters to a .529 OPS and left-handed hitters to a .490 OPS. The Venezuelan has a 1.44 ERA.

While San Diego may not want to discredit Suarez, they just acquired an All-Star and the reigning National League Reliever of the Month in Tanner Scott.

“We’ll assess it relative to the (opposing) lineup,” Shildt said. “If there’s a spot that makes more sense for Robert and there’s a spot that makes more sense for Scott maybe in the ninth, we’ll evaluate it.

If you’ve got three really good lefties in a row in the eighth, then it might be Scott. If you’ve got them lined up in the ninth, it might be Scott.”

Scott posted a 1.18 ERA in 44 appearances this year. The All Star pitcher fairs better against left-handed batters. Lefties have a .362 OPS against Scott, while righties have a .500 OPS against him.

The arrival of high-leverage arms in Scott and Jason Adam provides some relief for Suarez, Jeremiah Estrada and Adrian Morejon down the stretch. Adam is utilized mostly in the seventh and eighth innings but has recorded 24 saves for his former team the Tampa Bay Rays.

“Once it was announced, it was a pretty comforting feeling because we know that we’ve been pushing the three guys at the back end and making sure that we’re navigating some games and giving them rest,” Niebla told The Athletic.

"I think now it’s a little bit more like, OK, there’s multiple guys that can pitch from the seventh on; we can slot anybody into those roles," he continued. "So it’s not only giving the team success, but it’s also laying us out to have more guys rested, and they’re going to be better when they are.”

Estrada and Morejon are switching to lower-leverage roles in the middle of the bullpen.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Estrada. “If they say these (new) guys are gonna go to the back end and I’ll be back to the fifth or sixth, I’ll learn from them. They obviously have experience.”

San Diego now has coveted flexibility with a strengthened bullpen.