Michael King’s Gem Sets Up Padres for Deep Postseason Run

The San Diego Padres entered the postseason feeling very much like the underdog. That is no longer the case. They announced themselves to the world by thrashing the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series. The offense tagged Chicago's pitchers for eight runs, with ace Michael King taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. How might that dominance set up San Diego for a potential World Series run?

Michael King 's Strong Outing Improves Padres' Postseason Outlook

The big question mark on the Padres' roster is how far their starting rotation can take them. Behind King , the group gets thin fast. Sure, Nick Pivetta posted a 1.45 ERA in September, but he made only four starts after coming off the IL . There's a legitimate concern about how soon the wheels may come off. Veterans Walker Buehler and Robbie Ray have looked solid but not nearly dominant enough to protect early leads for long. Behind them is likely Randy Vásquez, who has been fantastic at times and ineffective at others.

There's no doubt that this rotation has an incredibly high ceiling. The question is if they can perform to that level or if they'll regress to the mean. It's hard to say. Ray and Vásquez won't pitch until a potential NLDS. Buehler wouldn't either unless the Friars drop Game 2 to Chicago. He seems likely to pitch a potential Game 3 or, if the Padres advance, start Game 1 of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers .

That's why having King as a legitimate ace at the head of this rotation is so important. He showed exactly what he's capable of on Tuesday night, striking out eight batters over seven scoreless innings. He had a no-hitter going through 6 1/3 before Manny Machado misplayed a hard liner to the third-base side. Still, King did something incredible: he saved the Padres' bullpen for Game 2.

With Pivetta's relatively untested arm starting Game 2, he'll have a rather short leash given the nature of the postseason. If the righty faces trouble early, San Diego can easily turn to their relievers to finish out the game. They can ride that group to a win and give them two days' rest with a series sweep on Wednesday night. That is a veritable gold mine for the Friars in the playoffs.

It's easy to think that the Padres' bullpen is propped up by elite relievers like Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon , and there's a degree of truth to that. But the larger truth is that San Diego's bullpen is not only the best in the postseason, it's the deepest. There's high-leverage relievers galore. Beyond their two stars, the Friars have Jason Adam , Yuki Matsui , David Morgan, and Bradgley Rodriguez to turn to on their Wild Card roster . The Padres don't just have one ace in the hole; they have several.

Matsui may not look it, but he's been one of the best southpaw relievers in the game this season. He owns a 1.83 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. Despite missing an abundance of time to injury this season, Adam posted a 2.62 ERA with a 2.45 career ERA in the playoffs. Morgan posted a 2.92 ERA down the stretch with a 1.17 mark in his final seven appearances. And Rodriguez made a case for being the best rookie reliever in the league with a 2.19 ERA across 74 innings pitched.

If the Padres are to make a deep run in the playoffs, it will be on the backs of their offense and bullpen. The lineup is too potent to ignore, and the 'pen has been nails all year. By Wins Above Replacement, the Friars easily clear as the best bullpen in the postseason, totaling 8.9 WAR this season. Whether that success continues will depend on their relievers getting adequate rest. With the postseason having plenty of off days, that should bode well for San Diego.

Main Photo Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images