On Sunday, the Padres followed a blowout win and a shutout loss by getting beaten rather easily at sold-out Petco Park by the lowly
Washington Nationals. In response, they both defended their effort and drew attention to a new low.
“Lack of fight — I don’t even feel any of that. You know?”
Xander Bogaerts said after an 8-3 loss. “But maybe trying to do too much might be one.”
The veteran shortstop added: “C’mon, man. We’re playing the Nationals. … I don’t think they have playoff aspirations. I mean, they obviously have a young team and they fight. They do fight. But I wouldn’t say anyone picked the Nationals to be in the playoffs. So you have to beat the teams that you have to beat.”