Padres News: Cashner And Kennedy Will Pitch Thursday

By Andrew Beccarelli | Mar 3, 2015

We are just a couple days away from getting our first real look and the 2015 San Diego Padres in action!

Over the weekend we learned that Jason Lane will be getting the start in the Cactus League opener this Wednesday, along with Justin Hancock and Jay Jackson. Today we learned that both starters Andrew Cashner and Ian Kennedy will also be taking the mound in this Thursday’s preseason game against the Seattle Mariners.

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Cashner and Kennedy are two of the biggest pieces in the Padres pitching arsenal and manager Buddy Black will be counting on them to deliver again this season to help complement the new hitting assault the Padres have collected.

Since this is the second of 32 preseason games, I don’t expect Cashner and Kennedy to go too far into the game. I’m guessing two innings, maybe three innings at the most. Manager Buddy Black knows what these two can do, so now it’s just a matter of getting their canons warmed up for April.

Cashner has steadily progressed since being traded to the Padres from the Chicago Cubs. In the last three seasons his ERA has been in decline. From a .427 ERA in 2012, a .309 ERA in 2013, and down to a .255 ERA in 2014. Cashner continues to impress in his development as a starting pitcher for the Padres and before acquiring James Shields last month, Cashner was the assumed number one starting pitcher in the Padres rotation.

Not to be out done, since leaving the Arizona Diamondbacks and arriving in San Diego in 2013, Kennedy has revitalized his career as a starting pitcher. Last season Kennedy went 13W/13L with a 3.63 ERA in 33 games. Black is hoping that Kennedy will be able to fill the third or fourth starting spot for the whole season and give the Padres consistency on the mound.

I have enjoyed watching both of these two pitch for the Padres the last couple seasons. Cashner has a serious and aggressive attitude on the mount that has been missing in our lineup since Jake Peavy was traded to the Chicago White Sox, and Kennedy has been a pretty solid pitcher who would have more wins under his belt if he had had better run support.

What are you guys expecting from Cashner and Kennedy this Thursday? Who else do you suspect we will see on the mound?

We will keep you up to date on all pitching and Cactus League news. Stay tuned to Friars on Base for all your San Diego Padres news!

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