Padres Bullpen Falters in Back-to-Back Games

The San Diego Padres' bullpen, once among MLB's most reliable, has experienced back-to-back late-game collapses, most notably when closer Robert Suarez allowed four straight walks and reliever Alek Jacob gave up a grand slam in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels, resulting in a 9-5 loss and raising Suarez's ERA from 0.51 to 3.00. This ended Suarez's streak of 15 consecutive saves and highlighted the bullpen's recent struggles. The next night, another bullpen lapse nearly cost the Padres before Fernando Tatis Jr. secured a 6-4 win with a walk-off home run. Over the last six games, Padres relievers have surrendered 31 runs in 17⅔ innings, marking a historically poor stretch. Despite these setbacks, the Padres remain competitive with a strong overall record. Manager Mike Shildt and the team remain confident in the bullpen's ability to rebound.