4 key questions for Padres this spring
This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat e-newsletter. To learn the total e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.
The lengthy offseason is over: The Padres play a baseball recreation on Friday.
As all the time, there ought to be considerably of a method to your Spring Training baseball consumption. The priorities are … completely different. You’d most likely wish to see San Diego win a bunch of video games. You’d most likely wish to see Manny Machado and Juan Soto ship just a few baseballs into orbit. Does any of that basically matter?
No, probably not. But there are different issues to observe for — spring storylines that would considerably impression the 2023 Padres. Here’s what you ought to be taking a look at over the subsequent month, as Cactus League play will get underway.
That’s quite a bit to soak up. First and foremost is Tatis’ well being — and any lingering results from these two wrist operations and shoulder restore. Manager Bob Melvin famous that Tatis can be eased into motion. Tatis additionally seems to be sticking along with his two-handed follow-through from late within the 2021 season (although he says that’s an adjustment to make his swing extra compact, not as a consequence of harm).
“The health is the most important thing right now, making sure that coming back from the wrist revision and definitely from the shoulder, that he’s pacing himself,” Padres normal supervisor A.J. Preller mentioned. “I think he’s handled himself really well so far here in camp.”
Who will begin in proper area?
From April 20 onward, it’ll be Tatis. But what about these first 20 video games? That’s about one-eighth of the season — crucial video games in what figures to be a decent National League West race.
If there’s one main roster battle this spring, that’s the one. The Padres have solutions at nearly each place, however they don’t have a solidified alternative for Tatis. Perhaps the obvious possibility is Matt Carpenter, a delegated hitter/first baseman platoon piece as soon as Tatis returns. But San Diego additionally has its share of outfielders — Adam Engel, José Azocar, David Dahl and Brandon Dixon.
“It’s going to be good competition for all these guys to get a good look, get plenty of at-bats,” Melvin mentioned. “There aren’t many spots on the roster that are available, especially after Fernando comes back. So it’s going to be pretty good competition. You like to have that dynamic in Spring Training.”
Can Campusano maintain his personal?
This must be the 12 months, doesn’t it? The Padres have lengthy been ready for Luis Campusano’s massive league breakout, and so they seem to have dedicated themselves to it in 2023.
Once a extremely touted catching prospect, Campusano is the unquestioned No. 2 this season, and the workforce is hopeful he’ll develop right into a timeshare with starter Austin Nola. His strengths are apparent — a high-upside bat, glorious pitch-framing and a strong arm. His weaknesses? Those are largely based mostly round his inexperience with game-calling and dealing with a pitching employees.
“He’s going to be catching everybody,” Melvin mentioned. “This Spring Training is an enormous deal for him. He needs to acclimate and present these guys that he’s prepared.”
Who will emerge within the bullpen?
Aside from the outfield, the one different roster battle is within the bullpen. It’s a doozy. San Diego has greater than a dozen viable reduction arms and probably just one emptiness in a seven-man ‘pen.
Good luck sorting by all of the choices. Steven Wilson and Adrian Morejon seem like on the forefront of that competitors. But Rule 5 Draft choose Jose Lopez is intriguing. José Castillo and Michel Baez are wholesome once more. Veteran Craig Stammen is again. And don’t write off the opportunity of a depth starter, like Brent Honeywell Jr., cracking the roster in lengthy reduction.
