The World's Worst Sports Blog

San Diego has lost three straight shutouts. April 7, 2016

Dodgers pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir, and Kenta Maeda each have a win against the Padres to start the year. After the Kershaw-led 15-0 blowout, the Dodgers followed up with a 3-0 and a 7-0 win. It looks like we’re in for another Padres season, alright.

This is the longest streak for a team being shut out to start a season in MLB history. The Padres have lost three consecutive games with 0 runs; midseason, there were three similar streaks last year (St Louis losing a shutout sweep to Atlanta, Baltimore to Boston, and [funnily enough] the Dodgers to the Giants). 8 teams, most recently the 1992 Cubs, have had a season with four shutout losses.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are starting the season on three consecutive shutouts (though no single pitcher was credited with one – they were all combined shutouts). Only one other team has managed that – the 1963 St Louis Cardinals. Three teams have 5-game midseason shutout streaks (Baltimore in 1995 and 1974, and the Cardinals in 1962); 14 have 4-game streaks, most recently the 2012 Giants.

The Padres head to Colorado on Friday for a three-game series. The thin air may help open up their scoring, particularly if Yangervis Solarte (who has the team’s only extra-base hit and one of two walks) can engage a bit more. Rockies pitcher Jordan Lyles (Friday) had a 5.14 ERA in 2015 and recorded his only career shutout in 2012.

The Dodgers head to San Francisco today, starting Alex Wood and Ross Stripling. Wood was 12-12 with a 3.86 ERA in 2015; Stripling started 14 games at A and AA last year and is making his MLB debut. Wood has no career shutouts.