APRIL 3, 2022•SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.COM
Abrams shines, Musgrove completes his spring work in Padres loss to RedsCJ Abrams, Ha-seong Kim and Austin Nola double; Robert Suarez sharp again
Jurickson Profar - Projected to start in left fieldDennis Lin of The Athletic reports that Profar "could easily be the Opening Day left fielder" for San Diego despite the recent acquisition of Matt Beaty.
ImpactThe trade for Beaty early in the week gives the Padres a versatile left-handed bat capable of playing multiple positions, but it doesn't necessarily solve the issue in left field. Manager Bob Melvin suggested as much Monday, stating of Beaty, "We'll just see where he fits. Could be a bench bat. Could be a pinch hitter. Could play a little outfield. Could play a little first base. We're not really sure where it fits yet, but we know we like the profile of the bat." That leaves Profar as the team's most likely Opening Day left fielder, as he saw action at the position in 36 games last season. The utility man struggled with a .227/.329/.320 slash line over 411 plate appearances during the campaign, but he stole 10 bases and finished with an excellent 49:65 BB:K.
APRIL 2, 2022•ROTOWIRE
Bobby Witt Jr. - Earns roster spotWitt has won an Opening Day roster spot, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
ImpactWitt tore through the upper minors last season, hitting .290/.361/.575 with 33 homers and 29 steals split between the two highest levels. He's carried that momentum through to this spring, hitting .407/.448/.741 in 10 Cactus League games. A shortstop by trade, Witt is expected to open the year as the Royals' third baseman, with Adalberto Mondesi occupying his primary position.
APRIL 2, 2022•ROTOWIRE
Mets Could Send Dom Smith To Padres For Chris Paddack, Eric Hosmer, Plus MoreThe Mets are currently in talks with the San Diego Padres about a potential blockbuster trade. Find out the details below.
APRIL 2, 2022•KANSASCITY.COM
Ha-Seong Kim - Hitting .300 this springKim is slashing .300/.417/.350 with a double, an RBI, four runs and a stolen base over 24 Cactus League plate appearances.
ImpactKim's importance to the Padres' lineup grew considerably with the news that Fernando Tatis will miss multiple months due to a wrist injury. The predominant belief has been that Kim will open the campaign as San Diego's starting shortstop, and he hasn't done anything this spring to fall out of favor. However, the emergence of prized prospect CJ Abrams -- who is hitting .333 with a pair of homers in Cactus League action -- has introduced an alternate scenario in which Abrams could be fast-tracked to the majors, in which case Abrams would likely log plenty of time at shortstop.
APRIL 2, 2022•ROTOWIRE
Blake Snell - Struggles in first spring outingSnell pitched 1.1 innings against Arizona on Thursday, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits and four walks. He did not strike out any batters.
ImpactSnell's 2021 campaign ended early due to a groin injury, and he has been brought along slowly this spring as a result of a delayed ramp-up due to the lockout, per Jeff Sanders of The San Diego-Union Tribune. The southpaw threw 45 pitches in his Cactus League debut and struggled with his control, as only 20 of his offerings were strikes. It's hardly cause for panic that a pitcher wasn't sharp in his first spring appearance, though the control issues have some relevance given that Snell posted a 4.8 BB/9 last season -- his worst mark since his rookie campaign. Snell should be able to log one more spring start, and he's likely to open the campaign limited to 4-5 innings his first few times out, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
APRIL 2, 2022•ROTOWIRE
Mets mulling move for Chris Paddack (source)PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Starved for pitching with Jacob deGrom set to begin the season on the injured list and Max Scherzer potentially side...
APRIL 2, 2022•MLB.COM
