DARVISH STARTING OPENER
The last time Yu Darvish faced the Padres, on Sept. 12, 2019, he struck out 14 batters.
In six innings.
The Padres managed two hits and walked twice. They didn’t score until he was replaced.
It was the kind of game, not really all that rare at the time, that made you wonder if the Padres would ever be anything other than doormats.
Darvish is now the Padres’ opening-day starter.
Manager Jayce Tingler announcing that Thursday afternoon, exactly a week before opening day, is as symbolic as anything of how far the Padres have come in 18 months — from beyond hopeless to far more than hopeful.
Arguably the most anticipated season in franchise history will get underway with Darvish taking on the Arizona Diamondbacks and their yet-to-be-announced starting pitcher.
Tingler’s announcement, made hours before Darvish made his final spring training start, merely formalized what had been expected for a couple weeks based on the way the Padres’ starters had lined up.
Left-hander Blake Snell, who Tingler said will pitch the season’s second game April 2, has followed Darvish with Joe Musgrove and Chris Paddack after that. Lefty Adrian Morejon is the frontrunner to be the fifth starter.
“It’s a really hard decision,” Tingler said. “What would have made it incredibly more tough is if (Dinelson) Lamet was built up as well,” Tingler said. “I certainly think there is a strong case for (Darvish) to take the ball day one. I don’t think you can go wrong. Could have gone either way.”
Wil Myers and Eric Hosmer are the only people in the starting lineup that day in ’19 who are still on the team. Hosmer struck out three times and Myers twice against Darvish.
“He knows how to pitch,” Myers said. “He’s been doing it a long time. … I’m glad he’s on my team now.”
This will be Darvish’s second opening-day start. He started in 2017 for the Texas Rangers, receiving a no-decision in a loss to Cleveland.
Pham amped up
There are very few baseball players who attack a 162-game marathon as if it were the 16-game sprint of the NFL.
But Tommy Pham is a football player in baseball clothing.
“I’m always amped,” he acknowledged Wednesday.
But if there is a little something extra in Pham’s focus and work this year, if there is more intensity in that scowl he usually wears along with his uniform, there is a reason.
“This is my free agent year,” he said. “There’s no secret about that. Everyone knows how important our free agent year is, along with winning. I have to show that one, I can play this game at a high level, and I know my peak. I know my best number was in 2017. I know all my numbers. I know my peak. I’m just trying to reach my peak again. Because it’s easy to do it once. Can you do it twice? That’s what I’ve been told. I’m just trying to show the baseball world that I can do it again.”
Pham hit .306/.411/.520 in 2017, posting a 6.2 WAR (wins above replacement). Even after hitting .211/.312/ .312 in an injury-plagued 2020, Pham’s .376 on-base percentage ranks 54th in the majors since ’17. He also has 68 home runs and 71 stolen bases in that span. The only players to have more of each are Mookie Betts and Christian Yelich.
The only current Padres player to ever have a singleseason WAR as high as Pham’s 2017 number is Manny Machado, who had a 7.5 WAR in 2015 and 7.3 WAR in ’16. Machado is one of eight players to have had at least three seasons with a 5.9 WAR since 2013.
“There ain’t too many people in the game right now that have a six-win season on their résumé or better,” Pham said. “Manny has a couple of them. That’s why Manny is so great. Because he was able to do that consistently and do it at such a high level.”
Since figuring out the right combination for his contact lenses earlier this month, Pham has looked like he is ready to have a more typical season. After starting the spring 0-for-17, he has 12 hits in his last 25 at-bats.
Notable
Tingler said one incentive for players and staff to get the COVID vaccine when they are eligible is MLB is expected to “lift some protocols for players that have had the vaccine, and I think that’s a big statement and (will) help encourage players to take it as well.”
• Center fielder Trent Grisham took fly balls in the outfield Thursday, continuing his progress toward what is expected to be an opening-day start. Grisham strained his left hamstring March 11.
• Catcher Austin Nola’s fractured finger has started to calcify, meaning the healing process is well underway. Nola has been hitting off a tee and catching. He had a lighter day Thursday. It is still possible he could play in a game before the team leaves for San Diego on Monday.