San Diego Padres: Cory Spangenberg Won’t Be Left Out

The San Diego Padres continued their hot-hitting ways yesterday, defeating the Oakland Athletics 10-4 in Cactus League action.

Saturday’s performance was one of those “you had to be there” moments. Without tv coverage, the San Diego Padres continued to mash the ball in spring training, knocking around 11 hits in a 10-4 win over the Athletics. The Padres are now 5-3-1 in games that don’t count.

A wrist injury has limited Cory Spangenberg’s playing time this spring. While he’s been out, Carlos Asuaje has earned a leg-up in the competition for second base. Manager Andy Green has also been playing Jose Pirela at second as he tries to sort out the outfield logjam.

Spangenberg returned to the field yesterday as the team’s designated hitter. Just in case you had forgotten him, he produced this to remind you.

Hunter Renfroe had a successful return to the lineup yesterday. He contributed his second home run of spring, along with an RBI-single. Both hits came against a right-handed pitcher.

Josh Naylor, whose future with the Padres appears to be in limbo, continued to showcase his bat. Taking over for Allen Craig, Naylor finished 1-2 with a solo bomb to right field.

As for pitching, Jordan Lyles started the game, giving up two earned runs and two hits in two innings. However, it was the debut of LHP Matt Strahm that stole the show.

Related Story: Give LHP Matt Strahm The 5th Rotation Spot

His performance wasn’t anything to write home about, but it was a solid performance, his first since last July. After giving up a solo-bomb to Bruce Maxwell, Strahm settled down and finished the inning with a groundout, fly ball, and strikeout (after falling behind 3-1).

In his strikeout of Dexter Fowler, which you can watch below, he struggled to hit the inside part of the plate but did a great job of finishing off the job.

Notes from around the San Diego Padres basepaths.

Luis Urias went 1-1 with an RBI-double, his fifth of the spring. Urias currently leads all of major league baseball in doubles.

Fernando Tatis Jr showcased more of the complete package he brings to the Padres. He went 0-1 at the plate, but drew two walks and stole two bases.

LHP Braid Wieck has been another surprise in camp. Wieck struggled in AAA last season (10.29 ERA, 10 BB, 8 K in 7 innings), but has thrown three scoreless innings with four strikeouts with the Padres. Wieck, 26, won’t make the major league roster with so many arms competing for a small number of spots. If he can return to El Paso and continue his spring training success, he could be in line for a promotion later in the season.

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The Padres will split up their roster and play two games today, one against the Chicago White Sox and the other against the Oakland Athletics.

Clayton Richard gets the start vs Oakland while Joey Lucchesi takes the mound vs Chicago. It appears that the contest against Chicago will be available on MLB.tv, however, I’m not entirely sure about that We will update when there is confirmation on tv broadcasts. The only way to catch today’s game against the A’s will be via radio.