Padres Spring Training: Pitching staff strong in win, fringe players fighting for spots, first Dodgers matchup

Padres knluckle-baller Matt Waldron started for the San Diego Padres in their second spring training game of the year on Saturday against the Athletics, going two innings, giving up one earned run with two strikeouts. With a final score of 10-3, the Padres routed the Sacramento A's thanks to more strong pitching performances and timely hitting at the dish.

The Padres will face their first true test of the spring on Sunday when they go up against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 12:05 PM. The Dodgers are coming off three straight losses to start off their spring campaign, but some reports have stated both teams will be fielding very strong rosters for the first matchup.

Pitching staff strong in win

After Waldron went his two innings, the Padres brought in six more pitchers over the course of the game. One name that Padres fans may have been surprised to see was Jhony Brito, who is coming off a right elbow strain that landed him on the 60-day IL to end the 2024 season. Brito would work a 1-2-3 inning, a common occurrence for Padres pitching in their first two games, with one strikeout and two flyouts.

Adrian Morejon, Jose Espada, and new Padre Ron Marinaccio would all pitch in the game as well, with Marinaccio facing the minimum number of batters in a strong debut for San Diego. Yuki Matsui and Austin Krob would both give up one run in their innings of work. Krob, who was called up from Double-A San Antonio for the spring, struggled with his command, giving up two walks and one hit in his Padres debut.

Fringe players fighting for roster spots

As the Padres look to finalize their roster and workout who will be accompanying the starting core during the regular season, a number of non-roster players put up strong performances in yesterday's win.

Tirso Ornelas, the Padres number 18 ranked prospect in 2024, would replace Yuli Gurriel at the designated hitter spot in the fifth inning. Ornelas would immediately drive in a run on a fielder's choice, followed by an impressive 13-pitch walk where he fouled off eight pitches. He would come home to score in both of his at-bats.

Oscar Gonzalez, who spent time with the Cleveland Guardians in parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, was signed by the Padres to a minor league contract in November. In Saturday's game, Gonazlez went 2-3 at the plate, singling and scoring a run in the second, and doubling to drive in a run in the fifth. Spending the entire game in right field, look for Gonzalez to receive more playing time after his strong performance.

First Dodgers matchup of the year

The game that all Padres fans have been waiting for is finally here, with the Padres headed to Camelback Ranch in Glendale Arizona to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the Padres abysmal end to the season against the Dodgers, there is no question they will be looking for revenge, even in an exhibition game.

Braden Nett, a Double-A callup, is projected to be starting for San Diego, while Dustin May is slated to start for the Dodgers. May is coming off a bizarre, life threatening injury that kept him out of the entire 2024 season. After eating a salad, and this is true, May experienced a tear in his esophagus that required emergency surgery.

Look for the Padres to put out a strong lineup for Sunday's game, as players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Jason Adam received little playing time in the previous two games.