Friars Make Big Pitching Decision to Prioritize Health Heading into All-Star Break

With Yu Darvish recovering from flu-like symptoms back in San Diego, Reiss Knehr got the start in Tuesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Knehr's first start of the 2023 season got off to a rough start when he allowed three runs in the second inning right after the Padres had climbed to a 3-0 lead. After letting up two consecutive homers in the third, Knehr's day was done.

Before the game, Melvin reportedly considered pushing Blake Snell, who started Wednesday's game, up on the schedule. However, the Padres' manager ultimately decided to keep Snell on five days' rest in order to avoid any risk of injury.

"Trying to protect our starters," Melvin said.

(Via The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Darvish is expected to join the team on the road in a couple days and is reportedly on track to start Friday in Cincinnati.

Before his start on Tuesday, Knehr had allowed five runs over 3.2 innings. Knehr has spent most of the season working out of the bullpen in Triple-A.

"Every team has injuries. Whether there are guys that are more significant than others, you know, the rest of us need to pick them up," Melvin said. "So if that means we need to score a few more runs, we need to score a few more runs."

(Via The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Unfortunately, the Padres did not get the memo, only scoring one more run after their three-run flurry in the second inning.

With Snell set to start this afternoon and Darvish likely to return to the lineup Friday, the Padres have a chance to get their pitching staff back on track.