GORE FINALLY ON PADRES’ 40-MAN

The Padres on Friday added MacKenzie Gore, their top pitching prospect, to the 40man roster ahead of the deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 draft. Right-handers Steven Wilson and Efrain Contreras and infielder Eguy Rosario were also added.

The Padres began the day with one open spot on the 40man roster. They cleared three more when outfielder Jorge Oña and right-hander Reggie Lawson were outrighted to Triple-A El Paso and right-hander Shaun Anderson was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays.

Once viewed as the top pitching prospect in the game, Gore posted a 5.85 ERA over his first six starts at Triple-A El Paso before the Padres removed him from competition to address mechanics that went awry in 2020.

After a two-month hiatus he resurfaced in the rookielevel Arizona Complex

League and had a 2.67 ERA and a 43-to-16 strikeout-towalk ratio over 301⁄3 innings as he climbed from Peoria, Ariz. to Double-A San Antonio.

The 22-year-old Gore had his ups and downs over three starts in the Arizona Fall League (6.35 ERA) before shifting his work to Petco Park to throw bullpens with new pitching coach Ruben Niebla.

Gore, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 draft and the No. 56 prospect in MLB.com’s top-100, has since returned home to prepare for spring training.

Notable

Right-hander Joe Musgrove, a San Diego native who threw the franchise’s first nohitter in April, has been named the honorary chairman for the Dec. 28 Holiday Bowl.

Tickets for Cactus League games went on sale on Friday at padres.com/springtraining.