Padres lose to Royals in ninth; Luis Arraez says he is 'good' after departing with shoulder injury (2024)

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—

The Padres kept doing what they have been doing in winning eight of their past 10 series, spraying hits to seemingly every square inch of a ballpark, and were poised to complete their first sweep of the season.

But even before the Royals scored three runs off Yuki Matsui in the ninth inning to walk off with a 4-3 victory, the weekend had exacted a cost from the Padres.

It seems that it could have been worse, however, as a day after putting two of their starting pitchers on the injured list, the Padres were confident they dodged that fate with Luis Arraez.

“I’m good,” Arraez said after the game. “I’ll be playing tomorrow.”

Immediately after tying the game 1-1 with a single that scored José Azocar, Arraez was injured sliding into second base.

He departed the game an inning later with what was described by manager Mike Shildt as a jammed right shoulder and “little bit of a neck” issue.

“Nothing that looks overly serious,” Shildt said. “More of a precaution to take him out. So things are as positive as they can be right after the game.”

That seemed like a win in light of the loss of Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove for at least a few weeks and the potential that they could have been without the MLB batting leader for a time as well.

Arraez, whose .340 batting average is best in the major leagues, drove in the tying run with a two-out single to right field and, on the throw home to try to get Azocar, attempted to grab an extra base.

He was out on a throw from catcher Freddy Fermin to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and immediately winced after reaching out to grab the bag as he slid past it headfirst.

“When I slid, my head was to second (to the left) and then my arm still to the right,” said Arraez, whose right shoulder was taped. “I looked to second, and I twisted it. It’s not too bad. I’ll be fine.”

Arraez remained seated on the ground for a few minutes and was examined by head trainer Mark Rogow before taking his spot at first base for the bottom of the fifth.

But an inning later, Jake Cronenworth was playing first base and Tyler Wade had entered the game in Arraez’s place in the batting order and was at second in Cronenworth’s place.

It was Wade who began the eighth inning with a single and scored the go-ahead run on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr. after moving to third on a two-base error when pitcher Angel Zerpa threw a pick-off attempt well left of first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. A single by Jurickson Profar followed, and another by Manny Machado drove in Tatis to make it 3-1.

Two relievers working in roles other than what they have lately attempted to finish off what would have been a victory that got the Padres to four games above .500 for the first time since 2022.

The Padres were without closer Robert Suarez and high-leverage relievers Jeremiah Estrada and Wandy Peralta, who had all worked the previous two days.

Starting pitcher Michael King had done his part to help the Padres survive being short-handed, allowing one run in seven innings. And Enyel De Los Santos navigated a leadoff bunt single to get through the eighth.

“Pretty much right as we scripted,” Shildt said. “Except for right at the end, obviously.”

Matsui, who saved 236 games in Japan over the past decade and had not allowed a run in his previous 7⅓ innings, was then asked to work the ninth inning in a save situation for the first time in the big leagues.

He did not record an out until it was too late.

Pasquantino led off with a single before Salvador Perez walked and was replaced by pinch-runner Dairon Blanco.

Nelson Velázquez followed with a triple that tied the game, and Nick Loftin hit a fly ball to right field that ended the game.

“I feel bad for the team that I couldn’t live up to the expectation from them,” Matsui said through interpreter Yusuke Horii. “I think my location was not there today. I feel bad.”

A bleary-eyed Matsui sat alone at his locker staring straight ahead for an extended period before and after showering. Several teammates patted him on the back as they headed to the team bus, which would take the Padres to the airport for their flight back back to Southern California, where they will play the Angels the next three days.

All three games were eventful, and the Padres departed Kauffman Stadium subdued but feeling good about winning another series, this one against a Royals team that is 36-25 and among the American League leaders in several hitting and pitching categories.

“When you do everything right and you lose like that, it hurts,” Donovan Solano said. “One more win is one more win. At the end of the season, that could cost us. But at the same time, it’s baseball. Those guys can hit. Those guys can compete. We need to turn the page and continue to play the same way. Right now we are playing good baseball. We continue like that, we’ve got a good chance to make the playoffs.”