“They make these big trades and the team seems to get worse” “Team has no heart” - San Diego Padres fans distressed with loss to Cleveland Guardians as NL Wild Card lead becomes even slimmer

The San Diego Padres completed their six-game homestand as they faced off against the Cleveland Guardians. Fans were left disappointed, as the Padres offense failed to muster any momentum, falling to Cleveland by a score of 7-0. The Padres went 2-4 on the homestand, hampering their playoff chances.

The San Diego Padres' record now sits at 68-58; one game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers for the last NL Wild Card spot.

The Padres offense seems to have struggled since the trade deadline as the team has gone 8-12 since August 2. Despite acquiring Juan Soto and Josh Bell, the offense seems to have gotten worse. They have averaged 1.5 runs over their past six games.

The Padres certainly appeared to be all-in at the trade deadline. This had many individuals predicting them to be legitimate contenders in the NL, but it doesn't seem to be working out at the moment.

One has to wonder, with a team that has many new faces, perhaps chemistry is an issue. The team doesn't seem to be playing with much emotion with the playoffs fast approaching.

Having stars on both the pitching and offensive side of the roster and struggling this much since the trade deadline makes little sense. This goes to show how valuable team chemistry can be.

Their offense has been inconsistent. The team went from scoring 10 runs against the Miami Marlins on August 17 to mustering up a combined nine in their next six games.

Overall, it was a disappointing loss for a team that has World Series aspirations. At this point, the Padres need to focus on getting into the playoffs. Last season, they had a second-half collapse and will be hoping to avoid a repeat of that.

08/24/2022: Cleveland Guardians vs. San Diego Padres Game Highlights

Jose Ramirez finishes rounding the bases after his second home run of the game.

The starting pitcher, Cal Quantrill of the Cleveland Guardians, was brilliant, going seven innings and allowing zero earned runs against his former team. San Diego Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell, on the other hand, struggled. Snell went 3.1 innings, allowing six earned runs.

To start the game, Jose Ramirez gave the Guardians an early lead with a solo home run, his 24th of the season.

Then, in the fourth inning, Ramirez hit another solo home run. It was the first of a five-run fourth inning to blow the game wide open.

The Guardians' pitchers were able to keep the San Diego Padres offense in check, as they extended their division lead in the AL Central to 3.5 games.

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