Following this weekend, all of the the San Diego Padres’ World Baseball Classic participants will have departed camp in Peoria, Arizona, leaving time for other players to get sharp or improve their chances of getting on the Opening Day roster.
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 news, not necessarily hardcore analysis.
The Friars dropped to 4-6 in the Cactus League after losing to the Colorado Rockies 3-2 Friday, beating the Seattle Mariners 7-1 Saturday and losing to the San Francisco Giants 9-1 Sunday.
Who’s Hot for Padres? 🔥
Randy Vasquez: The right-hander continued his bid for one of the two open spots in the starting rotation. He got the start against the Rockies and went 2⅔ hitless innings. He didn’t allow a run, but did walk two and struck out four. He threw 37 pitches, 24 for strikes. Vasquez hasn’t allowed a run in either of his two starts, covering 4⅔ innings while yielding just one hit.
JP Sears: If your ERA goes down by 41.73, that means two things happened: You had one really bad outing followed up by a really good one. The left-hander did just that Saturday, going three innings and allowing one run on three hits. Sears walked one and struck out one while throwing 34 pitches, including 23 strikes. That came after his spring debut went awry, surrendering four runs in two-thirds of an inning. It was a good bounce back as he competes for a spot in the rotation.
Ty France: This is more of a status update than someone who is hot at the plate. France, a non-roster invitee, did go 1-for-2 against the Giants, a sharp single to left off WBC-bound Giants right-hander Logan Webb. But the real news is that France started the game at third base, a position he has not played in an MLB game since 2022. And, as luck would have it, the very Giants first batter of the game, Willy Adames, rocketed one right at France, who deflected it into left field for a hit. He played the position in 36 games as a Padres rookie in 2019, but only 17 times since. That versatility will help in his bid to make the roster.
Who’s Not? 🧊
German Marquez: The right-hander is a leading candidate to claim one of the last two spots in the rotation, so his bumpy first outing should be taken with a grain of salt. The former Colorado Rockies ace was tagged for three runs in his first of two innings against the Giants. He gave up four hits while facing mainly Giants regulars, though he did strike out two in that opening frame. Chalk that up to rust and spring jitters. Marquez did come back in the second inning to retire all three batters he faced, finishing with 27 strikes in his 37 pitches.
Luis Campusano: Playing in all three games, including starting twice, Campusano went 1-for-6. That dropped his spring average down to .167 (2-for-12). Nothing to be worried about considering his history as a hitter. His starts came with Vasquez and Marquez on the mound, while he replaced starting catcher Freddy Fermin in the other. As long as his defense is what the coaching staff is looking for, he will be an asset.
Sung Mun Song: While starting at third base and second base, Song went 1-for-6 and also saw his average drop to .167 (2-for-12). With his role clear thus far as a utility player, Song’s defensive ability will be his primary contribution until his bat comes around. Don’t forget there are more than three weeks left in the Cactus League. He will work on the back fields at shortstop and left field before playing those spots in a game.
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