Eighth-inning walks spoil solid start from Michael King, Padres lose to Tigers, 5-2

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Ty France #4 of the San Diego Padres tosses his bat after striking out to end the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park on March 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images The highly regarded San Diego Padres bullpen failed to live up to expectations when the Padres faced the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park on Friday. Jeremiah Estrada entered the top of the eighth inning with San Diego clinging to a 2-1 lead.

He was unable to protect the one-run margin, instead he allowed three walks and a single, while recording two outs before manager Craig Stammen replaced him on the mound with the game tied, 2-2. Wandy Peralta needed just one out to keep the game deadlocked with the Padres coming to the plate in the bottom of the inning. However, Peralta allowed a two-out, two-run double to rookie Kevin McGonigle, who was playing in just his second MLB game.

Peralta then allowed a single to Dillon Dingler before finally recording the third out of the inning on a pop out by Matt Vierling, but the damage was done and San Diego dropped its second game of the season to Detroit by the score of 5-2. Michael King started the game for the Padres and allowed just one run on one hit with four walks allowed and six strikeouts. King left the game with a runner on and a 1-0 lead.

Adrian Morejon came in for King and allowed just one hit, but that led to a run for the Tigers which tied the game 1-1. Morejon got the final out of the sixth and worked a clean seventh to setup the eighth inning for Estrada. Michael King strikes out six over five innings in his Opening Week start against the Tigers Tigers @ Padres #ForTheFaithful | March 27, 2026 pic.