San Diego Padres: Month Of May Brings New Hope

The San Diego Padres are off to a slow start to 2018, however, a new month brings new hopes.

The San Diego Padres have had a dismal start to the 2018 season. A 10-20 record through their first 30 games leaves them languishing at the bottom of the NL West divisional standings. However, the beginning of a new month brings renewed hopes for the Friars’ resurgence.

Until now, everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong for the Padres. After spending a large part of the first month on the disabled list, Wil Myers has once again been placed on the DL with an oblique strain. Former highly-touted starting pitcher Luis Perdomo was removed from the starting rotation and sent to El Paso.

The team’s best pitcher, Dinelson Lamet, went under the knife for Tommy John surgery. Even more concerning, Brad Hand has uncharacteristically blown saves not once but twice with at least a two-run cushion entering the ninth inning.

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The list doesn’t end there. The San Diego Padres went 0-3 in extra-inning games, proving unable to close out games in clutch situations. Gold Glove winner Eric Hosmer overran a pop-up in the tenth-inning against the Astros. Manuel Margot spent time in the DL after being hit in the ribs by Colorado Rockies reliever Scott Oberg.

Elbow inflammation has kept Hunter Renfroe away from the game for an extended period. Lastly, Chase Headley and Bryan Mitchell have only managed to bring in some unwanted chill from the New York region!

Can anything else go wrong?

There is only one way to go for the San Diego Padres and that is up.

The Padres kick off their May schedule with series against the Giants and Dodgers. If they play to their full potential and if the new month brings in some much-needed luck, both on and behind the plate, the Padres stand a chance to close the gap against their NL West rivals. The Giants are struggling to play .500 ball, while the Dodgers find themselves without their star infielder, Corey Seager (season-ending Tommy John surgery).

San Diego follows up with a nine-game homestand against the Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals and then the Rockies. Neither of these teams has dominated this year and all are off to average starts. All of these games at home present the Padres with an opportunity to play error-free, competitive baseball.

Next: Andy Green Sticks With Brad Hand In Loss To Giants

This team has too much talent to worry about negatives. Every player who is presented with an opportunity will have to play to their fullest potential and value every pitch that he throws or every at-bat that he gets. May this May bring about some much-needed luck to the Friars. One game at a time and one win at a time are all the Padres must play for.