NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 9, 2024

Mike Shildt

Petco Park

San Diego Padres

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Dodgers - 8, Padres - 0

Q. Can you take us through the mindset after that one knowing what lies ahead and how important Game 5 is and how much of a missed opportunity this was?

MIKE SHILDT: Yeah, I mean, listen, I'm already excited for Friday. How fun is that going to be?

Missed opportunity, chance to close it out. Didn't. Move on. Play Game 5. Winner take it.

Q. What did you think of Cease tonight? And what went into the decision to lift him when you did after Ohtani?

MIKE SHILDT: I thought his stuff was coming out really good. He's throwing 100. Slider was good. They just put good swings on him.

And once Ohtani got through, he's at 38 pitches. He's got one out in the second. Just felt like it was the appropriate time. We have some guys we trust in our bullpen and that was the equation.

Q. Did you think his stuff was, like, normal, wasn't unaffected by the short rest?

MIKE SHILDT: I don't. Everything we measured by. Those are some pretty good hitters. They put good swings on him. They had good at-bats with him, the other start he had.

The guy's throwing 100. You tell me I can start a guy throwing a hundred with a good slider, I'm going to take that guy every time. They put some swings on him.

Mookie got a ball, 3-2 that he got out of the ballpark. It was as simple as that. And all the measurables we get in, as far as like the life on the ball, I'd grade it out A-plus.

Q. The at-bats today, a bullpen game. How do you think you guys responded to that?

MIKE SHILDT: 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Clearly they did a nice job. So we didn't get the proverbial big hit and string anything really together. They got the lead and they were able to hold it.

Q. You guys hit off relievers all season. It's been an issue in the postseason. It's postseason bullpens. It's a different animal. What's the fix for Friday, knowing that you could face a bunch of relievers again on Friday?

MIKE SHILDT: I mean, you can see better bullpens clearly. We've got a really good bullpen. Their bullpen has been very good. We're familiar with them.

It's just a matter of continuing to take consistent at-bats and being able to do something when we've got some opportunities with people out there.

Q. You were up pretty quick to talk to the umpire after that Tatis brushback. What were you looking to accomplish out there?

MIKE SHILDT: Just to establish that the ball was up near his head and didn't exactly appreciate it.

Q. The second inning there, when Ohtani came up the second time, did you have any thoughts of pulling Cease before that?

MIKE SHILDT: No, not really. I still liked his stuff. It was like in that, you know, area where it's like he's throwing good. The ball's coming out good. They're getting swings. And Mookie had already a swing on him. Wanted to see where the Ohtani bat went. He found a hole.

There's always a way to think, I could have done this, could have done that. But, no, I felt good about -- plus we got a righty going with Hoeing, who's more of a ground ball guy. We like to have a lefty to go with Ohtani. We had a guy throwing 100, and he put a swing on him.

Q. I know Dave might come in in a few minutes and announce a starter for Game 5. Given how well you hit their starters and given how well their bullpen pitched today are you bracing for another bullpen game again in Game 5?

MIKE SHILDT: Whatever they throw, we'll be ready for. We're excited. We'll throw Yu Darvish and feel good about it.

Q. Just to confirm, Darvish for Friday? How does the rest of your bullpen line up behind that given you were able to rest some of your higher leverage guys tonight?

MIKE SHILDT: We're in great shape. We took a shot with Morejon and Estrada. Both of those guys will be available on Friday, and we'll have a full compliment of our bullpen plus a really good starter.

Q. How did Cease respond to seeing you coming out? And any concerns of his confidence level after -- the first outing probably didn't go the way he wanted and this one a little shorter than he'd like?

MIKE SHILDT: Not concerned about his confidence level. Dylan knows he's a really good pitcher and has been for a while. That part's not in the equation.

Listen, he was excited to take the ball. Wanted the opportunity. Again, once he got to a certain point, swings were pretty good on him. He wasn't fooling anybody. So I'm sure he was disappointed in the moment, but he understood it.

Q. How much is this just you guys face each other so much during the course of the year, everybody knows everybody's tendencies and Cease is at this point where he's just facing a team that just knows him so well?

MIKE SHILDT: I think that's part of it. I don't think there's any question about that. I think it's a fair point. They know the tendencies of what he does and they're looking for certain things, and they were on point tonight with him.

Q. The one guy you had this week who mixed it up was Darvish.

MIKE SHILDT: Yeah, that guy. The guy going Friday. Yes, sir.

Q. Speaking of that guy, can you just kind of, like your confidence level in him as well as he's pitched since he's come back from the restricted list, and what he's meant to you guys in doing so over the last month?

MIKE SHILDT: He's been fantastic. Confidence level, he's got 203 wins in his career. Pitched a long time. Pitched on big stages. Clearly we're going to have one on Friday. Pitched in international competition and pitched in that stadium very well and recently. He's one of the better pitchers of this generation. So confidence, that's why the confidence is high for me.