Padres Starter Disappointed After 'Letting Teammates Down' Against Rockies

Valentina Martinez | Aug 17, 2024

Aug 16, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron (61) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron fell apart in his first two innings on the mound in Friday's matchup against the Colorado Rockies.

It was brutal. It was hard to watch. And it cost the Padres a closer look to snagging the lead in the National League West division race.

The first inning from Waldron featured a three-run bomb. Brendan Rogers hit the 439-foot homer to give the Rockies a steady lead. The hit was a 108.8 mph dinger, one of the hardest hits the right-hander has ever allowed.

A two-run homer followed in the second inning, which essentially sealed the fate of the Padres demise. Charlie Blackmon crushed an 89 mph four-seamer from Waldron.

Blackmon went yard on a 450-foot hit that landed on the right field's second deck of Coors Field. Despite a two-run homer from Ha-Seong Kim, Blackmon's home run was just enough for Colorado to get the win.

“Maybe it’s like a preparation thing or just how I go out there, but that first inning, it’s tough,” Waldron told Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It hurts to let my teammates down, especially so early, like, just give the momentum away, but I gotta wear it.

“Yeah, I’ll get real with whatever work I need to do and give myself the best chance to perform out there and to win again.”

Waldron's knuckleball which is typically successful didn't have a strong outing on Friday. To make matters worse, double plays caused the Padres to leave several base runners stranded.

The Padres continue their series with the Rockies on Saturday. It's imperative San Diego bounces back from the tough loss on Friday. Waldron's performance came at a tense time, but the Padres are still in the race for first in the division.

“We've just got to focus day by day,” second baseman Xander Bogaerts told MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. “Don't worry about that tough stretch. Try to monitor your work and be smart about it. We've got to look forward to coming in here tomorrow and try to win this game tomorrow, because obviously we didn't start it off the way we wanted.”

Starting with the series on Friday, the Padres have their work cut out for them as the club has 18 games in the next 18 days.

It's a daunting task, but one that must be accomplished if San Diego ever wants to get ahead of the Dodgers.