Padres News: Chris Paddack Announced as Game 1 Starter

After much secrecy, it was finally announced who the San Diego Padres would be starting in game one of the 2020 MLB Postseason Wild Card series.

When the season began for the San Diego Padres it would not have come as much of a surprise that Chris Paddack would be their game one starter in a potential playoff series.

However, after a shaky 2020 season many would consider to be the fourth-best starting pitcher in the rotation.

But because of injuries with Dinelson Lamet and Mike Clevinger, it’s Paddack who will get the nod on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park.

Paddack posted a 4.73 ERA in 12 starts this season with a WHIP of 1.220 and 58 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched.

That’s a far cry from his rookie performance where he had a 3.33 ERA in 140.2 innings with 153 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.981.

Even though is average fastball has been faster this year, hitters are teeing off on it and hitting it at a .308 clip compared to just .204 last year.

I’m not an expert in spin rate, but the spin rate on his fastball is down in 2020 and could be way hitters are putting a lot more barrels on it.

Either way, Paddack will be the game one starter and the Padres will be hoping to get a great performance out of him.

Paddack faced the Cardinals twice last year and gave up just 2 earned runs in 9.2 innings on 3 hits with 12 strikeouts.

We all know he’s a fierce competitor and will give us his best effort in game one on Wednesday.

My guess is that Zach Davies will start game two and then if needed Mike Clevinger will give it a go in game three. It’s possible Lamet could be ready for game three as well.

I think Clevinger and Lamet both make this roster and perhaps you have one of them come out of the bullpen if needed.

Of course, that’s pure speculation at this point as the Padres have been very secretive about their plans for their two best pitchers who enter the postseason banged up.