The San Diego Padres have developed a disturbing trend after the first seven games of the 2026 season. In each of their five losses, the Padres have scored three runs or less. The three runs in a loss happened once. The other four losses were by two runs, which included the series opener against the Boston Red Sox Friday afternoon. It should come as no surprise that the San Diego offense flummoxed by Boston starter Sonny Gray for most of the day. The veteran right-hander, who joined the Red Sox following an offseason trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, allowed two runs on four hits over six innings. As bewildered as the lineup was facing Gray, it was worse against the Boston bullpen. Three relievers combined to pitch three scoreless innings without allowing a hit. There was one walk allowed, in the top of the ninth by closer Aroldis Chapman, and three combined strikeouts to hand the Padres a 5-2 loss to open their road trip.
Gavin Sheets was the lone bright spot in the San Diego lineup, finishing 2-for-3 with two singles, an RBI and a run scored. Miguel Andujar was gifted a triple when centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela misplayed a ball in center and Luis Campusano ended his hitless streak with an RBI-double off the Green Monster, which tied the game 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning. The top five in the lineup for San Diego (Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and Ramon Laureano) combined to go 0-for-19 on the day with one walk.
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Michael King did his part but got nothing to show for it – in fact, he took the loss. King allowed four runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings. The line reads worse than the outing appeared. After the Padres tied the game in the top of the fifth, King faced just three batters in the bottom half of the inning, thanks in large part to a stellar play by Jake Croenworth at second base.
He took the mound in the bottom of sixth and recorded an out but then surrendered a solo home run to Willson Contreras to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead. King then allowed a single and recorded a strikeout before manager Craig Stammen took him out of the game in favor of Wandy Peralta who came in to face left-hander Marcelo Mayer. The move backfired as Mayer hit a two-run home run on the first pitch from Peralta that just squeaked past the glove of Tatis Jr. in right field to put Boston ahead 5-2.
San Diego will try to break out of its offensive funk with Game 2 against the Red Sox at 1:10 p.m.
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Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball put it best with her headline that read “Opening week was a bit of a mess.” Throughout the week there were strange decisions from the dugout, miscommunication in the field, lapses in fundamentals and uninspired approaches as the plate. Maybe the road trip will allow the Padres to get away and start fresh.
Jase Bowen had a productive spring and was with the team until the final roster decisions were made. Ultimately, Bryce Johnson made the team as the fourth outfielder, but that has not slowed Bowen. The outfielder helped the El Paso Chihuahuas earn a win Friday night by hitting for the cycle.
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