PADRES ARE ALL IN

By Marc Lawrence — It’s been 14 seasons since the San Diego Padres last made the MLB playoffs. After the MLB trade deadline on Monday, the Padres are officially all-in trying to make the World Series. San Diego picked up the single best player moved during the trade deadline in acquiring starting pitcher Mike Clevinger. They also acquired slugging catcher Austin Nola from the Seattle Mariners, first baseman Mitch Moreland from the Boston Red Sox and veteran catcher Jason Castro from the LA Angels. Plus they also secured the services of Trevor Rosenthal, arguably the best bullpen arm on the market, who San Diego traded for on Saturday. The Clevinger deal feels like the biggest winner for the Padres, getting a top of the rotation starter while preserving most of the best talent in their farm system. For a complete list of the “winners and losers” from the flurry of trades at this year’s deadline click here.

Trending Today

According to ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks are just the 4th No. 1-seed to lose Game 1 in each of their first 2 series. They’re also just the 34th team to do it regardless of seed under the current playoff format (since 1983-84). Only 1 of the previous 33 teams went on to win the title (the 1994-95 Rockets).

Grinding Out The Profits

From the complimentary PLAYBOOK ADVANTAGE publication for September: Since the 2019 MLB All Star break, Cubs starter Yu Darvish has 170 strikeouts and 15 walks in 124.3 innings pitched. Yu got that right.