PADRES MAKE SPRING DEBUT
Almost every regular, including Fernando Tatis Jr., started Sunday’s Cactus League opener against the Mariners, which they lost 5-4. But they didn’t play long.
The pandemic wiped out the minor league season in 2020.
And even though some of the Padres’ top prospects got the irreplaceable experience of working alongside major leaguers during summer camp and then at the team’s alternate training site during the season, there has been some lament about the year of lost game experience.
Some of them will be able to make up a little of that missed time this spring.
Almost every Padres regular started Sunday’s Cactus League opener against the Mariners. But after Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and the rest of the big names played three innings, batting twice apiece, the Padres made mass changes.
Among of the substitutions in the fourth inning were three of the Padres’ top four position prospects — CJ Abrams at shortstop, Robert Hassell III in center field and Tucupita Marcano at second base. Catcher Luis Campusano, the team’s second-ranked position prospect, entered the game in the fifth inning.
“It’s always good for them to get into this kind of action, especially after last year,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “… That’s nice to see for them to get into game one. And my guess is they’re going to see a lot of action here in the first couple weeks.”
Marcano lined a single to left field in the ninth inning. Eguy Rosario, the organization’s ninth-ranked position prospect, also singled.
Mariners second baseman Sam Haggerty made a nice play to rob Abrams of what almost certainly would have been a single in the minor leagues. Abrams also made a nice play ranging back to grab a fly ball in left field.
Outfield competition
There is probably one outfield spot open on the roster. Maybe not even that.
Four spots are virtual locks, and Brian O’Grady was signed in the offseason with the idea he would be on the roster.
But if there is a job to be had, Jorge Oña took a step toward earning it Sunday.
Having entered the game in the fourth inning in place of right fielder Wil Myers, Oña blasted a two-run homer in the sixth inning that sailed through an oncoming wind and 20 feet beyond the left field wall.
“We know he’s got bigtime power,” Tingler said. “Seeing (how) he develops defensively, that’s going to be big for him.”
Oña, who turned 24 in December and is the Padres’ eighth-ranked position prospect, was 3-for-12 with a home run and double in five games for the Padres last season.
Jorge Mateo, also in the outfield mix, preceded Oña’s shot by laying down a bunt single.
All smiles
Outfielder Jurickson Profar participated in a workout for the first time Sunday after being delayed in his native Curacao due to an issue with his visa.
Profar participated in a live batting practice and, to the surprise of no one, hardly stopped smiling. Teammates were clearly pleased to see him, as he gave and received hugs in between his at-bats.
“I think just in general when you’re around positive people and people that think positively and they have a knack to pick other people up, I think he doesn’t do that on purpose,” Tingler said. “I just think it’s kind of natural in his DNA. He has whatever that it factor is. People gravitate to him and he cares about his teammates, he cares about other people. He can’t fake that. I think people realize that’s real.”
Notable
First baseman Eric Hosmer was the only Padres regular to not start Sunday. Tingler said the main reason is teams are required to start at least three regulars each spring training game. Hosmer will start today along with at least two more of the players who started Sunday. Veterans rarely start consecutive games this early in spring.
• The Padres signed OF Patrick Kivlehan to a minor league deal and added him to big-league camp. The 31year-old has hit .208/.302/.401 with 10 homers over parts of three seasons (242 plate appearances) in the majors. He hit a home run in his major league debut, on Aug. 20, 2016, with the Padres, and has played all three outfield spots in the majors, in addition to first and third base, with the Padres, Reds and Diamondbacks.
• Tingler said he was impressed by Ha-seong Kim’s first at-bats against major league pitching. The Korean hit two balls, deep to left field and deep to center, that got held up in the wind.