Five starting pitchers who dominated the Padres last year

The Padres faced some tough competition from starting pitchers last year. Let’s look at the top five that gave them the most fits.

While you’d expect the majority of starting pitchers, who performed well against the Padres in 2019, to come from within the NL West division, there were two outsiders as well.

Let’s jump right in.

1. Jacob deGrom

deGrom faced the Padres twice last year, one at home and one on the road. In his start before the trade deadline, the reigning Cy Young Award winner tossed seven innings while allowing just four hits and nine strikeouts. On the year, he struck out 16 Friars in 14.0 innings while holding them to a .163 average.

2. Kenta Maeda

In his final season with the Dodgers, Maeda made seven appearances – including five starts – against the Padres. His stat line is odd, as he allowed 14 earned runs, tied for the most against any opponent, but he held San Diego to a .163 average. In all, Maeda tossing 30.1 innings while allowing four home runs but also striking out 34 batters.

3. Luke Weaver

Weaver added to the formidable list of starting pitchers that the Padres will have to face every year. He made three starts and struck out 16 batters in 14.1 innings while holding the Friars to a .173 average. Weaver was limited in his first season with the Diamondbacks due to a UCL sprain. However, he returned at the end of September, pitching two innings at Petco and struck out one while allowing no damage.

4. Walker Buehler

Buehler is going to be a problem for NL West division opponents for the next decade. The sensational rookie made two starts against the Padres last year, striking out 26 over 15 innings while allowing a .176 average. He gave up just one earned run in that time frame and appears he’ll join fellow Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw, as the next Padres’ nemesis.

5. Julio Teheran

Teheran faced the Padres twice in his final season as an Atlanta Brave. He struck out 14 batters in 13.0 innings while limiting the Friars to a .178 average. His last start against the Friars came on July 13, where he struck out six batters in six innings in a 7-5 Braves victory.