The Padres will look to snap a five-game skid in Thursday’s 10:07 a.m. get-away start in Toronto (Padres.TV). The losing streak is the longest of the season and matches last year’s season-high, which occurred four times en route to a 93-win season.
But this streak is almost unlike any other in MLB history.
Almost.
According to Stats Perform, only one other team has scored three or fewer runs, allowed more than 30 runs, allowed 10 or more homers and committed five or more errors during a five-game stretch as the Padres have done in falling 2½ games out in the NL West.
The other?
The inaugural 1969 Padres’ first five losses in franchise history, which followed a three-game winning streak to begin the season.
Those Padres went on to lose a franchise record 110 games.
These Padres?
Well they looked like they were building off last year’s push back into the NLDS before this five-game skid.
“We get the privilege of seeing them do it and be able to be successful at it pretty consistently as a group, and we haven’t seen it the last five days, and no one’s going to alibi that,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said after Wednesday’s 14-0 loss to the Blue Jays. “But the answer is to get up, keep our head up and make sure our focus is in the right spot and (don’t) let it have any collectiveness to it. And that’s easier said than done.”
The Padres (27-20, 3rd in NL West) will attempt to snap out of this skid with Xander Bogaerts giving way to Jose Iglesias at shortstop and Brandon Lockridge pushing Jason Heyward to the bench, further stressing a bottom third that already ranks 25th in the majors with a .609 OPS.
A look at today's lineup. pic.twitter.com/pBJ5rVer6w
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 22, 2025
Far from the only Padre struggling, Bogaerts (.684 OPS) was 0-for-6 with a walk in the first two games of this series, while Heyward (.500 OPS) was 1-for-5 with a walk and a strikeout.
Iglesias (.573 OPS) will bat eighth and Lockridge (.562 OPS) will bat ninth.
Catcher Elias Díaz (.683 OPS) is also in the lineup and batting seventh for just the fourth time this season.
Here is how the Blue Jays (24-24) will line up for the series finale:
Going for the sweep!
us this afternoon: https://t.co/wqm8hkrOLr pic.twitter.com/LxtgIxT0hV
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 22, 2025
Thursday’s pitching matchup
Padres RHP Stephen Kolek (2-1, 2.33 ERA)
The former Rule 5 reliever began his stay in the rotation with 14⅓ scoreless innings before allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings in a loss on Saturday. Three of the hits left the yard. To date, Kolek has struck out 15 against five walks over 19⅓ innings.
Three Blue Jays have history with Kolek:
- SS Bo Bichette (1-for-1)
- 1B Vladimir Guerrero (0-for-1, K)
- OF Anthony Santander (0-for-1)
Blue Jays RHP Bowden Francis (2-6, 5.63 ERA)
The 29-year-old leads the majors with 14 homers allowed. Francis has three quality starts in nine trips to the mound, but he has an 8.10 ERA over his last five starts (23⅓ IP). Francis also has a 6.75 ERA in five home starts. He threw two shutout innings in relief in a win last year over the Padres, striking out two and walking one.
Here is how Francis has fared against current Padres:
