We are turning the corner and getting ready to hit the stretch drive of spring training, whatever that is. The San Diego Padres are starting to come together.
As a reminder: Don’t take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis.
The Friars are now 9-10 in Cactus League play after losing to the Texas Rangers 4-1 Monday, beating the Los Angeles Angels 10-2 Tuesday, and losing to the Kansas City Royals 10-1 in the first night game this spring.
Who’s Hot? 🔥
On the surface, allowing two runs in 3⅔ wouldn’t qualify as a good start. But it was more about the quality of the outing for the right-hander that earns him this nod. Buehler seemed to find his groove in this 68-pitch outing. While his second Tommy John surgery has dampened his four-seamer velocity, he is learning to pitch with where his stuff is now and the fact that he is finally pain-free. With right-hander Nick Pivetta battling arm fatigue, a typical spring training ramp-up ailment, and Joe Musgrove‘s status a little bit in doubt as he returns from his own Tommy John surgery, Buehler could find himself in the Opening Day rotation. Otherwise, he has an opt-out at the end of spring training if not on the MLB roster.
The once-former-now-Padre-again infielder continues to make a strong push for a bench spot this spring. France played second and third, going 2-for-5 with a double. He did have a throwing error at third base, a position he has played multiple times this spring, but not in a regular-season game since six games in 2022. He has only played second three times in the last four seasons, but if he is to be part of the Opening Day bench, playing multiple positions will certainly help for last year’s AL Gold Glove first baseman.
The more you don’t hear about guys like this right-hander, the more you know they are doing their job effectively. Estrada, a key part of the Friars’ late-inning bullpen, pitched a scoreless eighth inning against the Rangers, walking one and striking out one while not allowing a hit. That kept his sheet clean this spring, having not allowed a run in five innings and yielding but one hit. He has walked six, but countered that with seven strikeouts.
Who’s Not? 🧊
Expected to go four innings in his start vs. the Royals, the right-hander was yanked in the first inning due to the number of pitches, came back for the second, and couldn’t get through that inning. The leading candidate for one or maybe two rotation spots, depending on injury situations, Marquez was credited with 1⅔ innings, allowing six runs on four hits and four walks while striking out just one. Only 28 of his 56 pitches were strikes.
Miguel Andjuar
The infielder-outfielder figures to be a key part of the lineup against left-handers. But after a strong start to Cactus League play, Andjuar has seen his slash line drop to .267/.40/.500 after going hitless in his last nine at-bats. Andjuar’s status is pretty safe for Opening Day due to his track record when healthy, so this mini-swoon is nothing to be concerned with.
It was the type of outing that looked worse than it actually was. But results are results. The left-hander allowed three runs on five hits, but did go four innings, including two scoreless after being hit on the bottom of a foot by a comebacker. Sears struck out six and didn’t walk anyone. Most of the contact off him wasn’t hit hard, and he wasn’t helped by his defense. But Sears also had allowed at least one run in all four Cactus League outings, although his ERA improved to 8.44.
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