San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
WEATHERING DODGERS STORM
In what felt like an important game for Ryan Weathers, the 21-year-old lefthander went straight at a potent Dodgers lineup Saturday and seemed to continue to show he is ready to handle whatever the Padres decide he should do at the start of the season.
“We feel pretty good where he’s at,” manager Jayce Tingler said. “We’ve got some guys competing for that last rotation spot or maybe long bullpen. We feel we have three pretty good arms. They all have things they need to continue to work on. But we feel talent-wise those three are going to be able to compete and help us out, for sure.”
He referred to Weathers, Adrian Morejon and Mackenzie Gore. The three young left-handers have run into trouble at times this spring but have also flashed the immense talent that has made the Padres project all three as future mainstays in their rotation.
Weathers struck out two batters in each of his three innings Saturday, including Cody Bellinger twice. He also surrendered a solo homer to A.J. Pollock on a fastball in the heart of the zone in the first inning and two runs in third.
“They’re a good lineup,” said Weathers, whose fastball regularly hit 97 mph. “You make one mistake and it can come back and bite you in the butt a little bit. Just go out there and keep attacking. … They’re a good lineup but they are just like any other baseball player. They have to hit it perfect. I’ve got to make a good pitch. They still have to hit it good. They just had a couple of those today and it got me a little bit, but very pleased with the outing. Obviously not the results I wanted, but all in all I felt really good out there and the stuff felt really good. Definitely a lot of positives.”
He struck out Chris Taylor to start the game and Bellinger to end the first inning. Matt Beaty whiffed chasing a curve that dived out of the zone to end the second inning. After walking Taylor and allowing a double by Pollock and two-run single by Justin Turner with one out in the third, Weathers struck out Bellinger and got Will Smith on a line drive to first base.
“I feel really good,” Weathers said. “I felt like I could have gone back out there for the fourth. … My job was to go out there and pitch until they take the ball from me and whenever they give me the ball is when my chance is to go out there and pitch. Whenever they take it from me is when I’m done.”
The combination of how well Weathers has performed this spring and the team’s need to fill innings early in the season makes it seem the organization’s 2018 first-round pick might just be pitching in a regular-season game in a couple of weeks. (He made his major league debut by pitching 11⁄3 scoreless innings in relief in Game 1 of the National League Division Series in October.)
“That’s for them to decide,” said Weathers, who has allowed seven earned runs in 10 innings while striking out 11 this spring. “My goal coming in was to have them make a hard decision and make them make a decision.”
With Morejon seemingly lining up to be the team’s fifth starter, the most likely scenario has Weathers in the bullpen.
“Whatever this team needs me to do, I’ll do that,” he said. “Whatever role that needs to be filled, I’ll try my best to do that and just have fun with it.”
He appeared to take a big step Saturday.
“Any time I go out there is important,” he said. “I always have stuff to get better at and work on. Today was a good test for me, getting to face one of the best lineups in baseball. It was a lot of fun going out there knowing you had to make pitches and get outs. I made some pitches, didn’t make some pitches and (there was a) lot to learn from.”
Health updates
First baseman Eric Hosmer was added to the list of key players who have missed time this spring and whose status has become at least somewhat blurry.
Hosmer was sent home Saturday morning after reporting he felt nauseous. While he told the team it felt different than the gastritis that sidelined him off and on for two weeks early last season, his recent stomach issues make his setback at least a bit worrisome.
“We felt throughout the offseason ... like we’ve had a pretty good grasp of it,” Tingler said. “He’s done a really good job of managing it going forward. That’s why his belief and the trainers’ belief (is) that it’s not similar to last year’s. I think both parties think it could be something as simple as having some bad food (Friday) night.”
Tingler also expressed optimism that center fielder Trent Grisham, catcher Austin Nola and relievers Pierce Johnson and Drew Pomeranz can continue to progress toward a return in time for opening day.
Grisham has been out since March 11 with a hamstring strain but has been increasing his running intensity daily of late. Johnson left his appearance Tuesday with a groin strain. Nola, who fractured the middle finger of his left (catching) hand on March 13, is expected to start grabbing a bat as soon as today.
“They’ve had some good days,” Tingler said. “They are progressing slow but steady, which is honestly what we want to see. They are taking their baby steps forward and kind of all going the right directions. Barring any type of setback, we still feel confident as long as they keep making strides going forward.”
Pomeranz, who hasn’t pitched since March 9 with forearm tightness, underwent tests that revealed no structural damage.
“It seems to be feeling much better,” Tingler said of Pomeranz’s arm. “He’s going to (play catch soon). If we can continue to keep that inflammation out of there, hopefully we’ll get him back for one of his bullpens shortly.”