On Sunday, April 28, the San Diego Padres, who had previously been 11-0 at home, were swept at Petco Park. San Diego’s 4-2 loss against the Tampa Bay Rays was its seventh in nine games and its fourth in a row.
Mike Shildt is going through a new stage as he attempts to guide the Padres through their turbulent waters. The Padres are struggling to survive, and they’re not doing very well at it.
After Sunday’s loss to the Rays, their manager, who is typically a bit of a mama bear when it comes to shielding his players, sat at a dais and took the blame for their four straight losses.
Padres Manager Reveals His ‘Ultimate Job’ After Defeat
Shildt has made it clear since the start of his tenure as Padres manager that he views diverting any possible criticism from his players as one of his primary responsibilities.
“If anybody needs to be better the last couple games, it’s me,” Shildt said. When asked how he would do that, the Padres’ manager said, “I don’t know, gotta figure it out. That’s my ultimate job.”
Mike Shildt yesterday after the Padres got swept: "If anybody needs to be better the last couple games, it's me"
What does he need to do better?
"I don't know. Gotta figure it out. That's my ultimate job" pic.twitter.com/2lwkNgNCex— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) April 28, 2025
The team is also suffering from having its key players on the injured list. With first baseman Luis Arráez looking likely to return on Tuesday, April 29, the Padres look to be on the verge of regaining one of their three missing core players.
Center fielder Jackson Merrill may only be available after two more games, and second baseman Jake Cronenworth may be out for eight more.
The Padres dropped to 1-5 without Arráez (concussion), 8-8 without Cronenworth (rib fracture), and 9-9 without Merrill (hamstring strain).
Although San Diego’s injury spree has been almost excessive, it has also fully shown the team’s depth issues. Despite having four outfielders on the injured list and a normally small payroll, the Rays were nevertheless able to complete the sweep at Petco Park.
The Padres outscored their previous scoring total. Randy Vásquez was better than he was six days earlier. Fernando Tatís Jr. provided a reminder that it is perilous to test his arm.
That’s essentially what even the most optimistic fan would have to rely on as the Padres stumbled through their longest losing skid of the year. Additionally, Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Rays completed the Padres’ first sweep in 2025.
The concern following four straight losses and seven losses in nine games is how bad things will get before the Padres (17-11) recover, as this season is all about qualifying for the playoffs.