Padres struggle; lose four straight

Apr 29, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller (22) walks off the field after pitching during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images In losing five-of-eight games, starting with the split against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Mexico City, the San Diego Padres had their first losing streak since the first week of the season. Coming home from Mexico, without a day off to recover, the Padres played six games against the Chicago teams.

Losing both series 1-2, the Padres showed a sagging bullpen and an anemic offense most of the time. You won’t catch the players or the manager using altitude or fatigue as an excuse. They won’t even use the flu that affected Fernando Tatis Jr.

for most of the week. Fans are not likely to use those reasons to excuse some of the poor play, poor pitching or lack of offense. Maybe it’s just baseball but the Padres have to figure this out and get better quickly.

Luckily, the beleaguered San Francisco Giants are up next on the schedule. If the Friars don’t play better and score more runs for the next three games then we can discuss having a real problem. A couple highlights from an otherwise forgettable week: Mason Miller, who had his scoreless streak broken by the Cubs with an assist from the umpires, won March/April Reliever of the Month for the NL.