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The starting rotation for the San Diego Padres has been performing below expectations for some time. The most consistent arm has been Walker Buehler, who pitches today and may be San Diego’s best chance for a win in Chicago. Who would have thought we would be saying that at the start of
the season?
Michael King was expected to be one of the co-aces of the staff with Yu Darvish missing the season and Joe Musgrove starting on the IL. He then became the lone ace when Nick Pivetta was sidelined with an injury. King has had his moments, one against the Los Angeles Dodgers and one against the Atlanta Braves, but for the most part this season he has looked like a middle of the rotation pitcher. He has had days where he looks like one of the best pitchers in MLB and he has had some days where he struggles to land his crossfire pitches for strikes. The current trend is that King is both of those things in the same game and that has resulted in losses for the Padres.
An example of this is his latest start against the Dodgers. Through the first three innings, King looked like the pitcher the Friar Faithful expected him to be and was dominating the hated Los Angeles lineup. He got a little shaky in the fourth inning but got out of it. In the fifth inning, the wheels came off completely and King did not make it through the inning. There have been similar starts from the right-hander this season and that is what has become the most troubling for San Diego fans. How can King look so good and then suddenly look so bad the next inning. It is reminiscent of a golfer with the yips.
The Padres are waiting – and hoping – Pivetta and Musgrove can return to the rotation sometime after the All-Star break, but it is unknown when that will happen. If one or both of them can return and King can become the consistent pitcher he has shown himself to be in seasons past, San Diego would seem to have a legitimate shot at the postseason. Until that happens, King is the pitcher the Padres and their fans will expect to carry the rotation. The question is, can he? What is your level of concern about King and his performances for the remainder of the season? That is the Padres Reacts Survey question for Gaslamp Ball readers this week.
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