Padres Manager Has Blunt Assessment of Team's Struggles, Accepts Blame

J.P. Hoornstra | Jun 7, 2024

Apr 20, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt (left) yells at crew chief Adrian Johnson (right) after being ejected during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports / Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt has a recurring interview segment on the team's flagship radio station, 97.3-FM in San Diego. It's been easy for him to project optimism for much of the season. The team has mostly overachieved, at least somewhat, by hanging around .500 and remaining in the thick of the National League wild card picture.

A 5-game losing streak has threatened even the most ardent optimism emanating from San Diego.

Shildt didn't hold back Friday in his most recent radio segment. While noting the team's overall performance has been overshadowed by poor play in the clutch, the first-year manager laid the blame for the Padres' losing skid squarely at his own feet.

“You want to start to point the finger at somebody … You feel like you need to blame somebody, blame me," Shildt said on the Ben & Woods show Friday. "Do what you got to do. But, there’s nothing glaring that says this club isn’t doing this, this, and this to put themselves in a position to win. We’re just not getting it done. We’re not hitting with runners in scoring position. We’re not getting a big hit. We’re not synching up our pitching and our hitting.

“Teams that don’t have that trait, that don’t have a high care factor consistently, that aren’t pushing the envelope, aren’t trying to make things happen, those teams aren’t real fun to watch…Those are the teams that have issues.”

The numbers during the Padres' losing streak suggest at least one win was in order along the way. By OPS, the Padres have the 19th-best offense in baseball since the streak began on Sunday. By ERA, they're 15th. Four of the five losses have come by one run (the other was by 2) so perhaps it's no surprise the numbers are more middling than bad.

Still, Shildt isn't making excuses for himself or his club. If the Padres can get the big hit they've been missing, the streak will die a swift death.