Here’s how Padres could fill out their roster

This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it repeatedly in your inbox.

It’s February, which implies: The Padres play a baseball sport this month

An exhibition baseball sport, however a baseball sport nonetheless. In truth, the Padres’ busy month will get underway Wednesday, when the staff’s vans depart for Spring Training, hauling a great deal of tools and equipment to Peoria, Ariz., the place pitchers and catchers will start reporting for camp on Feb. 13. The first full-squad exercise is slated for Feb. 21, and the primary Cactus League sport is slated for Feb. 24.

Folks, it is virtually baseball season.

With camp set to start later this month, this is a take a look at the Padres’ roster battles this spring:

40-man roster candidates: José Azocar, Matthew Batten, Brandon Dixon, Brett Sullivan, Eguy Rosario

And that is simply the gamers on the 40-man roster. A handful of others will compete for an Opening Day spot as non-roster invitees — a listing which is anticipated to be introduced over the following week or so.

This race is large open, largely as a result of there’s an additional place out there on the Opening Day roster. With Fernando Tatis Jr.’s suspension persevering with by way of April 19, the Padres’ bench seemingly has two spots out there.

That is, in fact, assuming that each Nelson Cruz and Matt Carpenter can be within the beginning lineup collectively whereas Tatis is sidelined. It’s additionally assuming that Luis Campusano backs up Austin Nola behind the plate and Adam Engel, who signed a giant league deal, serves because the No. 4 outfielder.

So who’s becoming a member of Campusano and Engel on the Padres’ Opening Day bench? An early favourite is Azocar, contemplating how effectively he performed the position of fourth outfielder final 12 months. His velocity and protection make him a major candidate to again up all three outfield spots — particularly with Tatis unavailable.

But if Cruz and Carpenter are within the beginning lineup, which means the Padres may use a bat-first choice off their bench as effectively. Once Tatis returns, these two would presumably platoon, with one beginning at DH and the opposite serving as the first bench bat. In the meantime, Dixon is an choice. So is non-roster invitee David Dahl, a left-handed hitter on what would in any other case be a really righty-heavy bench.

40-man roster candidates: Pedro Avila, Jay Groome, Brent Honeywell Jr., Reiss Knehr, Adrian Morejon, Ryan Weathers

This is not essentially a race for one spot. Think of it extra as an audition for a job that the Padres may not find yourself utilizing. San Diego may simply open the 12 months with a five-man rotation. It may simply as simply swing forwards and backwards between 5 and 6 starters, maybe utilizing bullpen days and piggybacks in that sixth spot.

The Padres, nonetheless, would like to open the season with six bona fide starters, contemplating the success they discovered with that setup final season. For that to be the case, one in every of two issues must occur: They want one in every of their middling depth choices to step up. (That consists of the half dozen listed above and a handful of others who signed as NRIs.) Or they’re going to must swing a commerce, much like the deal they made for Sean Manaea on the eve of the season final 12 months.

Barring damage, the entrance three of the Padres’ rotation is etched in stone — Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove and Blake Snell. But past that trio there are query marks. This pitching employees is not practically as deep on the beginning finish because it was a 12 months in the past.

Which ought to make for a captivating camp. Nick Martinez and Seth Lugo can be constructing towards a starter’s workload. (Martinez did so final 12 months earlier than transitioning to the ‘pen midseason. Lugo hasn’t began with any regularity because the finish of the 2020 season.) Both are anticipated to open the 12 months within the rotation.

But who else may make a case to hitch them? It’s price watching Morejon, whose position is a considerably polarizing query organizationally. His stuff may play effectively as a starter, however he is by no means thrown greater than 66 innings professionally and is likely to be greatest suited as a bullpen/swing-man kind. Among the staff’s non-roster choices are veteran righties Julio Teheran and Wilmer Font.

40-man roster candidates: Michel Baez, José Castillo, Tom Cosgrove, Nabil Crismatt, Angel Felipe, Ray Kerr, Jose Lopez, Steven Wilson

Let’s assume these six pitchers, if wholesome, are locks for the San Diego bullpen: Hader, Robert Suarez, Luis García, Tim Hill, Pomeranz (sure, “if healthy” is a reasonably main caveat with Pomeranz) and Morejon (if he isn’t within the beginning rotation).

That may go away two spots out there with two pretty clear frontrunners in Wilson and Crismatt. But there is a a lot deeper group of choices than simply these two. And bullpen competitions virtually by no means go as deliberate.

And that is why the Padres have constructed themselves such an intriguing group of depth items. At age 38, Craig Stammen is returning to camp on a Minor League deal. Castillo is coming off his first wholesome season since 2018. Lopez is a Rule 5 Draft choice with large velocity and upside, and the Padres would like to keep away from providing him again to Tampa Bay (which they’d be pressured to do if he have been to overlook out on the roster).