Strahm's rough start may spell relief for SD

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SAN DIEGO -- Matt Strahm doesn’t have another start scheduled before the All-Star break, so he’ll join the bullpen this weekend when the Padres wrap up their first half at Dodger Stadium.

The move was planned in advance, and it’s supposed to be temporary. But right now, it’s fair to wonder whether Strahm’s stint in the bullpen might last a little bit longer.

His transition to a starting role began promisingly enough this spring. Through 10 outings, the left-hander had a 3.21 ERA, showcasing a mix of four pitches that played nicely in a starting role.

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It took five outings for that promising start to crumble. Since the beginning of June, Strahm has a 10.65 ERA and his overall mark has jumped by more than two full runs. That includes a disastrous outing Tuesday night, in which Strahm surrendered seven runs, including three homers, in the Padres' 10-4 loss to the Giants at Petco Park.

“I felt like I had my stuff,” Strahm said afterward. “Everything I threw over the plate got whacked.”

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So what's next for Strahm? The rest of the Padres' pitching situation might hold the answer. With right-hander Dinelson Lamet slated to return from Tommy John surgery this weekend, the rotation is suddenly crowded.

The bullpen, meanwhile, is painfully thin behind closer Kirby Yates -- especially from the left side. That’s due, in part, to injuries to lefties Jose Castillo and Aaron Loup. But it’s also a side effect of Strahm’s preseason switch to the rotation. In 41 appearances out of the ‘pen last year, he posted a 2.05 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings.

The Padres sure could use a southpaw like that in their ‘pen this season. They’ll have one on Saturday and Sunday, at least.

“He was obviously very successful in that bullpen role last year,” said Padres manager Andy Green. “We'll look at that over the last couple days of that Dodgers series and see how the ball comes out of his hand. Sometimes, you refresh with that short-burst outing, it gets back to ... the life we've seen in the past. It just looked like it came out flat today.”

Green wouldn’t discuss the team’s long-term plans for Strahm, and the skipper wouldn’t commit to a plan coming out of the break. That decision obviously might hinge on the health and performance of the team’s other starters.

Strahm, meanwhile, is adamant that the increased workload has nothing to do with his recent struggles. He’s thrown 79 2/3 innings already -- four innings more than last year’s mark between the Minors and Majors when he was returning from knee surgery.

As for a potential move to the bullpen, Strahm would obviously prefer to work out the kinks as a starter. He doesn’t feel he’s that far from the pitcher who racked up eight straight starts with two runs or fewer earlier this season.

“I feel like I've found a great routine with what I'm doing,” Strahm said. “I like where I'm at, but I've got to go back and look and figure this out. I'm definitely not tipping [pitches]. I'm very cautious with what I do pre-pitch. I've just got to look at what pitches I throw in what counts. There's too many good swings on pitches that I've executed. It's not making sense to me.”

Oppo power

Franmil Reyes and Wil Myers are on different trajectories this season. Reyes is one of the sport’s ascending sluggers. Myers, meanwhile, has slumped his way into a bench role.

But they both went deep, providing the Padres’ offense on Tuesday night.

Reyes crushed an opposite-field shot in the second, cutting the Padres’ deficit to 2-1. It was his 25th homer of the season, moving him into the team lead and making him just the second player in franchise history with 25 homers before the break. Greg Vaughn hit 30 in the first half in 1998.

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As for Myers, his homer was an encouraging sign, even if it came with the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth. Myers was relegated to a bench role 10 days ago, mired in one of the worst months of his pro career. He batted .188 with a .613 OPS in June.

With Myers out of the lineup, the Padres have worked extensively with him pregame and even pre-batting practice. Specifically, they’ve given him extra reps against the velocity machine.

Well, on Tuesday night, Giants reliever Reyes Moronta dotted a 98 mph fastball on the outside corner. Myers went with it and cracked a two-run shot to one of the deepest parts of the park -- his first homer in four weeks. Then in the ninth, Myers ended the game with a 109-mph rocket to left field.

“He's put a lot of work in,” Green said. “It's good to see two really good swings.”

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Tatis outdoes himself

In Monday’s series opener, Fernando Tatis Jr.Fernando Tatis Jr. made a brilliant sliding play, then threw a 94-mph rocket to first base that was clocked by Statcast as the hardest throw by a shortstop this season.

That record stood for all of one day, before Tatis topped himself. In the top of the first inning, Tyler Austin hit a one-hopper to short. Tatis took a step to his right and slid as he made the pick. Then he uncorked a 94.1 mph laser to first.

On Monday, Tatis’ throw was in the dirt, forcing a pick from Eric Hosmer. He had no such troubles on Tuesday. This one was right on the money. Hosmer barely moved his glove.

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