2 steps forward, 1 step back

They wouldn't be the Padres if they didn't give their fans something to gripe about while winning a series on the road.

As far as what the Padres needed headed into the weekend, they got a lot of that and a whole slew of new problems to deal with to make sure they didn’t feel too good about themselves.

The Padres scored 24 runs over a three-game series in Kansas City, which sounds like a real blessing considering how terrible the offense was leading into this weekend. Hilariously, they gave up 25 runs (they wouldn’t be the Padres if they didn’t find new and interesting ways to lose while winning) and got embarrassed on their way out of town by losing 15-7 yesterday.

Bob Melvin described it as taking two steps forward and one step back, which is about as accurate an analogy for this series as any other, but the real issue is with Josh Hader.

The same Josh Hader that has been the best closer in baseball for years, that the Padres traded real prospect capital to get, seems to be very broken right now.

Hader got one out yesterday and gave up 6 earned runs by way of 5 hits and 2 walks. The lone out was a strikeout, achieved when the batter swung and missed at a fastball about three feet above the strike zone. Hader struggled to get any of his pitches anywhere near the strike zone yesterday, and when they were, they were easy barrels for the Royals.

It was about as hapless as I have seen a pitcher be in a major-league game. It was sad to watch. And, more importantly, it might just spell doom for the Padres’ postseason plans if they can’t fix him and fix him quickly.