Padres held closed-door meeting after latest loss
Sep 8, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run on a bases-loaded walk by left fielder Wil Myers (not pictured) during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
The San Diego Padres have been one of the most disappointing teams in MLB this season. Their latest series in Seattle has not helped them either.
The Padres dropped three of four games to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend. Then they headed to Seattle, where they lost both games to the Mariners. The Padres lost 6-1 on Wednesday night, giving up five runs in the bottom of the eighth to blow what was a winnable 1-1 game.
The Padres held a 20-minute closed-door meeting after their latest loss, which dropped them to 55-60. Padres MLB.com reporter AJ Cassavell quoted Manny Machado as calling the team’s performance “unacceptable.”
Padres clubhouse was closed for about 20 minutes after the game for a players meeting. Afterward, Manny Machado called their performance tonight "unacceptable." He added: "It's all up to us. There's 26 guys in here we believe in. … We've just got to play better baseball."
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) August 10, 2023
Juan Soto, who went 0-for-4 with a walk, said after the game that some of the team’s players stopped battling during the game and effectively quit.
This is the most amazing quote ever. Not only admitting they quit but emphasizing it. Wow #Padres pic.twitter.com/I7j9Jx2gPY
— Jim Russell (@JimRussellSD) August 10, 2023
Those are not things the Padres and their fans want to hear.
San Diego had a breakthrough last year and reached the NLCS before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. While the Phillies started out slowly this year and have come on since then, the Padres have remained mediocre all season. They are running out of time to turn things around.
