Feeling fine after throwing Monday, Clevinger will start today.
The Padres’ prospects for success in the playoffs presumably were bolstered when Mike Clevinger felt good Tuesday, a day after a bullpen session and two days after he was scratched from his scheduled start with biceps tightness.
“We’re confident he’s going to make his start (today),” manager Jayce Tingler said.
How long Clevinger is allowed to pitch today against the Angels and whether he pitches another inning or two over the weekend in San Francisco, “We’ll play it by ear,” Tingler said.
Clevinger, who was acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline, spent three weeks in August at the Indians’ alternate training site after he violated the team’s health and safety protocols. He has made just seven starts this season.
Zach Davies was making his 11th start Tuesday. Dinelson Lamet made his 11th start Sunday.
Strahm returns
Left-hander Matt Strahm’s right knee is healed enough that he is back in the bullpen.
Strahm was activated Tuesday after 11 days on the injured list. Lefty Joey Lucchesi was optioned to the alternate site to make room on the roster for Strahm.
Strahm had a 1.76 ERA in his first 13 appearances (151⁄3 innings) before allowing three runs in his past four games (32⁄3 innings).
His only three walks of the season have come in his past three outings.
He has been dealing with pain since jamming his knee trying to making a defensive play against the Dodgers on Aug. 10.
Wrapping it up
There isn’t a whole lot left for the Padres to get done before the postseason except get ready for the postseason.
“There certainly will be a little bit of balance — doing the best you can to keep everybody healthy, also respecting the rhythm and timing that need to go on at the plate and all areas of the game,” Tingler said. “We’re constantly talking about it. Those will be three emphasis points going forward.”
The team’s decision-makers also must determine the construction of the 28-man roster for the first playoff series and which players will be on the 40-man roster of available players for the postseason.
A couple of bullpen spots and perhaps a bench spot are to be determined.
“There’s definitely a lot of competition,” Tingler said. “And that’s a good thing, because we believe we’re a really good team. … There’s a lot of competition on innings, on at-bats, all across the board.”
To the bubble
Tuesday night was the final one Padres players and staff were to spend in their own beds until their postseason run is finished.
Their traveling party will get on the team’s charter flight to San Francisco for the final series of the regular season after today’s game. When they return Sunday night, they will be sequestered in a hotel through the first playoff series.
Should they win that series, they and the rest of the teams in the division series will head to the site of their playoff “bubbles.” For the Padres, that would mean Arlington, Texas.
“It’s pretty much been the way of life for people over the last two months,” General Manager A.J Preller said. “… Our players have been good with it all year. They understand the importance of it. They understand it’s a competitive advantage and also from a health and safety standpoint.”