As Craig Stammen talked, it became clear he’s seen the Padres version of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster rolled into one. The relief pitcher has caught a glimpse of vulnerable Kirby Yates, out-of-sorts Yates, unraveling Yates.
Not the nearly-unhittable-in-2019 Yates, a human metronome who’s dipping spikes into uncharted ninth-inning waters as the fastest-starting closer in franchise history.
When Yates notched his 25th save Monday, he tied Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman for the second most before the All-Star break. When he added No. 26 a day later, he tied Heath Bell for the most.