Following San Diego’s addition of second baseman Rougned Odor on a minor league deal yesterday, the competitors to be a part of the Padres Opening Day bench gained a brand new entrant. As MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell notes, the absence of Fernando Tatis Jr. whereas he completes his PED suspension and the chance that outfielder Adam Engel isn’t prepared for Opening Day as he works his method again from a calf pressure open up new prospects for gamers hoping to interrupt camp as a member of the bench in San Diego.
One of many 4 spots on the Padres Opening Day bench is for certain to be reserved for backup catcher Luis Campusano. As for the final three spots, Odor appears more likely to compete with outfielders David Dahl and Jose Azocar, and utility participant Brandon Dixon. Odor supplies the least versatility of these choices, as all however 259 of his profession innings within the discipline have come at second base. In contrast, Dahl and Azocar each have expertise in any respect three outfield spots, whereas Dixon has performed all 4 corners and second base throughout his profession. Nonetheless, Cassavell notes that Odor’s standing as a lefty bat may give him, (and, presumably, Dahl) a leg up on incomes a spot on the bench coming into the season.
Assuming no further accidents complicate issues, Matt Carpenter will shift to the bench as soon as Tatis is eligible to return after the primary 20 video games of the season, whereas Engel will be part of the bench as quickly as he’s wholesome. At that time, there’ll solely be one spot nonetheless out there on the bench in San Diego for the aforementioned quartet. Azocar, Dahl, and Dixon all have choices remaining, although Odor doesn’t.
Extra from San Diego…
Joe Musgrove, who’s presently out of motion with a fractured toe, is anticipated to overlook as a minimum the primary two begins of the common season, in accordance with Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Acee notes that it’s potential that with out Musgrove’s contributions, the Padres might decide to go together with a 5 man rotation to open the season, preferring so as to add depth to a bullpen that might be taxed greater than traditional with out the sturdy right-hander pitching deep into video games. Ryan Weathers, Adrian Morejon, Brent Honeywell, and Cole Hamels are among the many pitchers who may take Musgrove’s spot on the roster, although whether or not that spot will earn them a task within the bullpen or the rotation is presently unclear.
Even after signing Manny Machado to his second $300MM+ contract, the Padres seem to have no real interest in slowing down, in accordance with Dennis Lin of The Athletic. Given Padres proprietor Peter Seidler’s already unprecedented funding within the large league membership for a company of their market dimension, it’s troublesome to foretell the place the bounds on spending might be. Lin notes that the backloaded nature of Machado’s new 11-year, $350MM cope with San Diego may assist the membership pursue an extension with fellow famous person, Juan Soto. It may additionally help in a deliberate pursuit of two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani ought to he hit free company following the 2023 season as anticipated, even despite the truth that a cope with both participant may value much more than it did to increase Machado. Discussing his latest extension, Machado explains {that a} candid dialog with Seidler led to the contract ultimately being hammered out. Seidler, for his half, says the Padres are “prepared and enthusiastic about persevering with to signal nice gamers.”
