Padres Press Clips Wednesday, August 30, 2017

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Padres rebound from early miscues in win over Giants UT San Diego Lin 2

Padres activate Miguel Diaz, option Dusty Coleman UT San Diego Lin 4

First pitch: Padres moves and call-up talk UT San Diego Sanders 6

Luis Urias headlines 8 Padres prospects headed to UT San Diego Sanders 8 Arizona Fall League

Fernando Tatis Jr. hits first Double-A homer UT San Diego Sanders 11

Padres' power lifts strong Perdomo to win MLB.com Cassavell/Haft 13

Margot driven by desire to be a 'superstar' MLB.com Cassavell 15

Wood seeks more success at Petco Park MLB.com Haft 18

Urias, Naylor among Padres going to AFL MLB.com Cassavell 20

Diaz returns early to bolster taxed bullpen MLB.com Cassavell 23

On Deck Game returning to Petco Sept. 30 MLB.com Cassavell 24

Padres’ Wil Myers helps fill backpacks with food for FOX 5 SD Staff 25 hungry kids

Giants’ Blach tries to get back on track vs. Padres FOX Sports Stats 26

Padres beat Giants 6-3 behind Perdomo Associated Press AP 28

Ump Larry Vanover forced from game after foul tip to mask Associated Press AP 30

Andy’s Address: Reactivating Diaz, Optioning Coleman Friar Wire Center 31 and More

Padres On Deck: Urías Heads List of Eight Prospects FriarWire Center 34 Playing in Arizona Fall League

Franmil Reyes pushes system-best HR total to 25

Jeff Sanders

Franmil Reyes’ breakthrough season landed him in the Arizona Fall League, as announced Tuesday. He’s not done yet, either.

The hulking, 6-foot-5, 240-pound slugger swatted his system best 24th and 25th home runs Tuesday night, leading Double-A San Antonio to an comeback 10-8 win over host Midland.

The 22-year-old Reyes played the 2014 and 2015 seasons at low Single-A Fort Wayne before hitting a then-career-high 16 homers at Lake Elsinore last year.

He’s one more than that many since the All-Star break, including nine in 24 games in August.

Reyes also leads the system with 102 RBIs.

He is hitting .265/.330/.480 with 122 strikeouts in 128 games at San Antonio (34-29, 75-58). Reyes originally signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2011 for $700,000.

Shortstop Javier Guerra (.216) went 4-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two of San Antonio’s four errors in the field.

Designated hitter Fernando Tatis Jr. (.161) went 1-for-6 with three strikeouts and his second steal since his promotion from low Single-A Fort Wayne.

Right-hander Jacob Nix (7.06) struck out five and allowed three unearned runs on three hits and a walk in five innings in the no-decision.

Right-hander Trey Wingenter (2.31) struck out a batter and stranded two hits in a scoreless ninth for his 20th save after RHP T.J. Weir (5-2, 2.45) allowed three runs in 1 1/3 innings.

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (69-67)

• Chihuahuas 13, Fresno 10: C Tony Cruz (.271) hit a two-run homer and a grand slam and 3B Christian Villanueva (.298) drove in three runs on three hits, including a triple. RF

Hunter Renfroe (.548) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs and CF Franchy Cordero (.318) went 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, a walk and three runs scored. RHP Tim Melville (12.00) allowed four runs – six earned – on five hits and five walks in three innings in his organizational debut. RHP Christian Bethancourt (3-2, 8.10) struck out two and allowed an unearned run in 1 1/3 innings for the win and RHP Kevin Quackenbush (4.21) allowed a run in two innings to convert his fourth save. The Chihuahuas remain a game out of first place in their division.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (26-38, 61-73)

• Modesto 4, Storm 2: RHP Jesse Scholtens (5-7, 4.00) struck out five and allowed three runs on nine hits and a walk in five innings. 3B Carlos Belen (.238) hit his 11thhomer and SS Ruddy Giron (.235) went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (20-14, 40-32)

• Dust Devils 5, Hillsboro 2: RHP Will Stillman (2-4, 5.85) struck out six and allowed two runs on six hits and two walks in five innings in the win. 1B Chris Mattison (.236) went 3- for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored and CF Tre Carter (.235) went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.

ROOKIE AZL PADRES2 (13-11, 28-23)

• D-backs 4, Padres 3 (10): RHP Matt Magill (0.00) struck out five over two shutout innings in a rehab start and LHP Brad Wieck (0.00) struck out two in a perfect inning in a rehab appearances. RHP Cole Bellinger (0.79) struck out one in a scoreless inning in relief. SS Olivier Basabe (.262), CF Tirso Ornelas (.273), DH Blake Hunt (.236) and 1B Justin Paulsen (.280) each had two hits.

Transactions

• RHP Andres Munoz, invited to the Arizona Fall League on Tuesday, was transferred from Tri-City to Fort Wayne. • LHP Will Headean was transferred from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore.

Padres rebound from early miscues in win over Giants

Dennis Lin

At 100 Park Blvd., the long-term blueprint has rarely seemed more intelligible, but organizational clarity does not preclude a team from appearing light-years away. That was the case early in Tuesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants, one of few clubs with a worse record than San Diego.

The Padres, who managed a total of three runs over their previous three games — on a home run by a pitcher and a steal of home, no less — helped the Giants score twice. Luis Perdomo threw 43 pitches, not nearly enough for strikes, across his first two innings. A meager crowd at Petco Park approximated the quality of the matchup.

Then the Padres showed a glimpse of what they’ll need if they are to compete in the not-too- distant future. Perdomo harnessed his delivery and muzzled the San Francisco lineup. His own offense scored in multiple innings. And those in attendance cheered a number of defensive highlights in a 6-3 victory that ended the Padres’ four-game losing streak.

Jabari Blash was central in the two-way play that had eluded San Diego throughout its series in Miami and in Monday’s series opener. The right fielder opened the bottom of the fourth with a loud home run off Matt Moore. Later, he charged forward for a full-extension snare, recording the first out in the top of the sixth.

Center fielder Manuel Margot also homered, driving in three more runs in the fourth. Earlier, he had run down a line drive in the left-center gap.

“When you’re able to be an impact two-way player, that’s what can make you into a superstar,” said Margot, who’s homered 12 times to complement strong defense in his rookie season. “That’s something that I want to be.”

Shortstop Yangervis Solarte followed Blash’s diving catch with one of his own.

Finally, left fielder Jose Pirela, not known for his defensive prowess, reached over the short wall in the left-field corner to rob Pablo Sandoval of a home run.

“For me, you kind of have to highlight what Jose Pirela’s doing in left field right now,” manager Andy Green said. “It’s a guy that I was honestly trying to get out of the game in the sixth, seventh and eighth inning. … Didn’t look comfortable in the outfield, wasn’t getting good breaks. He’s been as good as any left fielder in the game over the last couple weeks. He takes his work incredibly seriously.”

“Shagging during (batting practice) has been a real key,” Pirela said. “I’ve pushed myself in that to get reps off the bat, and I think we’re seeing the results.”

Such plays helped erase the memory of the second inning. After Wil Myers started and finished a 3-6-3 double play in the top of the first, Cory Spangenberg supplied a contrast in defensive efficiency. The third baseman commited two errors in the span of three at-bats. Perdomo yielded two runs, one unearned.

Spangenberg atoned in the bottom of the inning, legging out an infield single that scored Myers. Perdomo answered some questionable early pitching, allowing no runs over his final four innings. The right-hander completed six frames in all, reaching that number for an eighth consecutive start. He scattered seven hits and two walks.

“The second inning, we did not help him at all defensively,” Green said. “You could see him on the edge there, stepping back and composing himself. I thought third, fourth, fifth and sixth were markedly better. First inning, he was kind of rushing out, was quick, and when he runs into a problem that’s usually the problem. He settled in, stayed back, stayed over the rubber. ... I thought he made some nice adjustments after that second inning.”

Blash and Margot’s home runs gave him a 5-2 lead through four. Carlos Asuaje padded the advantage with an RBI single in the sixth.

Joe Panik homered in the eighth, producing a save situation for Brad Hand, who successfully navigated a leadoff walk in the ninth.

“This was the first tired stretch I felt like we ran into,” Green said. “Last two games in Miami after a tough travel day and then (Monday) felt like three honestly very tired days for our guys. It was good to see them rebound collectively today. First couple innings, you’re wondering if they were going to rebound, but they bounced back very nicely.”

Padres activate Miguel Diaz, option Dusty Coleman

Dennis Lin

Reinforcing a weary bullpen, the Padres on Tuesday reinstated Miguel Diaz from the 60-day disabled list and optioned shorstop Dusty Coleman to Triple-A El Paso. In a corresponding roster move, left-hander Dillon Overton was designated for assignment.

Diaz, who had been sidelined since June 22 because of a forearm strain, returns as the eighth member of the bullpen. Depending on his usage before the weekend, the rookie right-hander could start one of Saturday’s doubleheader games against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I’d actually frankly like to start Dusty today, but it comes down to preserving arms in the bullpen,” manager Andy Green said before Tuesday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants. “They’ve been taxed pretty heavily lately ... and they’re guys we value a great deal.”

Relievers such as Phil Maton, Jose Torres and Kirby Yates have appeared frequently in recent weeks, with some showing signs of fatigue.

“About the only guy that’s really fresh is the only guy who can take the ball every single day of the year, in Brad Hand, and he feels great,” Green said. “But I think (for) everybody else, we needed that extra arm in the bullpen.”

Diaz posted a 6.82 ERA in 22 games, including three starts, before injuring his forearm. He had been scheduled for a fourth rehab appearance, with El Paso, before the Padres deemed their need for relief the priority.

“Kind of where we are in the building process, as much as you love as a manager to have a five- man bench, an eight-man bullpen is probably better at protecting guys and making sure guys are healthy through the years,” Green said. “...(Diaz) feels good now too, so we’re happy to have him back finally.”

Rule 5 draftees must be on an active roster for at least 90 days during the season. Diaz has accumulated about 80 days. Had his injury ended his season, the 22-year-old would have had to begin 2018 on the Padres’ big-league roster.

Coleman, 30, joined the Padres on July 24 with five career at-bats in the majors. With shortstop Erick Aybar on the disabled list, he started 19 games and hit .227 with four home runs. Yangervis Solarte remains the Padres’ primary option at short, with Rule 5 draftee Allen Cordoba the backup.

Overton, who was claimed off waivers from Seattle, made a spot start July 1, allowing four runs in 4 2/3 innings. He has a 6.05 ERA with El Paso this season.

Call-up discussions

The Padres will promote a number of minor leaguers soon after rosters expand to 40, if not immediately Friday. Another batch should arrive closer to the middle of the month; Double-A San Antonio has secured a playoff spot, while El Paso is in the hunt for one.

“We kind of have a list of guys we’re expecting to draw from almost immediately and a list of guys that at (minor league) season’s end will be candidates to come up,” Green said. “Our schedule’s tough. We get the off-day here (Thursday), and then September hits us with a night game, then a day-night doubleheader, then a day-day. So we definitely need some extra arms in the bullpen, a potential starter from the minor leagues and then some other position players as well.”

AFL selections

Eight prospects will represent the Padres in the Arizona Fall League, the annual showcase that runs from mid-October until late November. Right-handers David Bednar, Walker Lockett, Andres Munoz and T.J. Weir; infielders Javier Guerra, Josh Naylor and Luis Urias; and outfielder Franmil Reyes (taxi squad) are on the Peoria Javelinas’ roster, announced Tuesday.

Urias and Lockett, both of whom impressed in major league camp during the spring, are among those who could debut in San Diego in 2018.

First pitch: Padres moves and call-up talk

Jeff Sanders

Since Aug. 1, a mish-mash of young relievers, journeymen and Brad Hand have compiled a 5.49 ERA, the fourth-worst mark in the majors. With the audible that the Padres called Tuesday – Miguel Diaz (forearm) was activated instead of moving his rehab to Triple-A El Paso – will provide short-term depth before rosters can expand to 40 on Friday, it comes with a caveat:

Diaz remains an option to start one of Saturday’s double-header games. If he’s pressed into duty before then, the Padres would likely call on a minor leaguer for a start.

It won’t be Dillon Overton.

The 26-year-old left-hander was designated for assignment Tuesday as Diaz was activated from the 60-day disabled list. Shortstop Dusty Coleman was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to make room on the 25-man roster.

The Padres claimed Overton off waivers from the Mariners in June.

He allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings against the Dodgers in his lone big league appearance with San Diego. With the Chihuahuas, Overton was 5-4 with a 6.05 ERA, 26 strikeouts and a 1.50 WHIP in 58 1/3 innings.

Coleman was hitting .227/.268/.455 with four homers, nine RBIs and a 33-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 27 games in the majors. He would have been the preferred option to start with groundballer Luis Perdomo on the mound, but the Padres were in more need of an eight-man bullpen than a five-man bench.

“I'd like to start Dusty today, but it comes down to preserving arms in the bullpen,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “They've been taxed heavily lately.”

Call-up talk

Without naming names, Green laid out a rough plan for roster expansion: Some will come immediately on Friday, while others will join the Padres as their minor league seasons end.

Double-A San Antonio won its first half-division title and is already in the playoffs, while El Paso started Tuesday a game out of first. The healthy 40-man roster players in the minors are as follows:

El Paso

• RHP Kyle Lloyd • RHP Walker Lockett (currently rehabbing back injury) • LHP Kyle McGrath • RHP Tim Melville • RHP Kevin Quackenbush • RHP Jose Valdez • SS Dusty Coleman • SS Jose Rondon • 3B Ryan Schimpf • OF Franchy Cordero • OF Travis Jankowski • OF Hunter Renfroe

San Antonio

• SS Javier Guerra

Lake Elsinore

• RHP Jose Ruiz

Other non-roster names who could get a look are right-handers Christian Bethancourt, Michael Kelly and recent minor league signee Jordan Lyles. They would have to be added to the 40-man roster.

ON DECK | Giants (53-80) at Padres (57-74)

Game 2: 7:10 p.m. Tuesday

Giants LHP Matt Moore (4-12, 5.38 ERA)

• The 28-year-old has a 4.97 ERA over 38 starts (217 1/3 IP) since the Giants traded for him on Aug. 1, 2016. He struck out seven and allowed four runs in six innings in his lone career start against the Padres earlier this season.

Padres RHP Luis Perdomo (6-8, 4.84 ERA)

• In three starts against the Giants this year – all no-decisions – Perdomo has a 3.63 ERA, 12 strikeouts and three walks over 17 1/3 innings. Perdomo has turned in at least six innings in seven straight starts.

Up next

• Wednesday: Giants LHP Ty Blach (8-10, 4.68) vs. Padres LHP Travis Wood (3-4, 6.03), 6:10 p.m.

Luis Urias headlines 8 Padres prospects headed to Arizona Fall League

Jeff Sanders

Luis Urias, the No. 55 prospect according to MLB.com, headlines eight Padresrepresenting the club this year in the Arizona Fall League.

The 20-year-old Urias will be joined by 20-year-old first baseman Josh Naylor and 21-year-old shortstop in the Peoria Javelinas infield.

Padres minor league pitchers selected to the team include right-handers David Bednar, Walker Lockett, Andres Munoz and T.J. Weir.

Outfielder Franmil Reyes is on the team as a taxi squad member.

Reyes leads the Padres’ farm system with 23 homers with Double-A San Antonio, the Padres’ lone first-half champion.

The youngest player on an opening day roster in the Texas League, Urias is hitting .299/.400/.385 with three homers, 37 RBIs, seven steals and an impressive 60-to-65 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He was the California League MVP a year ago and represented Mexico in this year’s World Baseball Classic.

Guerra and Lockett are the lone participants on Padres’ 40-man roster. An elite defender at shortstop, he is hitting .217/.261/.434 with nine homers, 49 RBIs and 151 strikeouts in 121 games.

A balky back has limited Lockett to 10 starts at Triple-A El Paso, where he is 5-2 with a 4.39 ERA, 33 strikeouts and a 1.45 WHIP in 55 1/3 innings.

Naylor is hitting .252/.324/.366 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 34 games since he was promoted to San Antonio. He represented Canada in the World Baseball Classic and participated in a second straight All-Star Futures Game this year in Miami, where he was a first-round pick of the Marlins in 2015. The Padres acquired Naylor last July in the Andrew Cashner trade.

Bednar, 22, is 1-4 with a 2.78 ERA, 11 saves and 77 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings spread between the Padres’ Single-A affiliates in Fort Wayne and Lake Elsinore.

The 25-year-old Weir is 5-2 with a 1.97 ERA, 77 strikeouts and a 1.00 WHIP in 73 innings spread between Lake Elsinore and San Antonio.

Munoz, 18, is 3-0 with a 3.80 ERA, 35 strikeouts and a .176 opponent average in 23 2/3 innings in relief at short-season Tri-City.

A prospect finishing school, the Arizona Fall League will begin Oct. 10 and run through the championship on Nov. 18 at Scottsdale Stadium. The 12th Fall Stars Game is scheduled for Nov. 4 at Salt River Fields.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hits first Double-A homer

Jeff Sanders

The youngest player in the Texas League is beginning to adapt.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first home run with Double-A San Antonio in a 3-1 loss to Corpus Christi to start a doubleheader. He added his first double in a 12-11 loss to end the evening.

Through seven games, Tatis Jr. – among the game’s elite prospects – is hitting .160/.160/320 with a stolen base, three RBIs and seven strikeouts against no walks.

His 22 home runs across two levels is tied for second in the Padres’ farm system behind Franmil Reyes, who hit his 23rd in the second game of the doubleheader.

Reyes (.264) drove in four runs on three hits in that game and Nick Torres (.267) went 4-for-4 with two doubles, his 11th homer and three RBIs.

Right-hander Trey Wingenter (2-1, 2.36) blew the save with a run allowed in a third of an inning.

Right-hander Brett Kennedy (3.73) started the game with five runs – three earned – allowed in 4 1/3 innings and right-hander Cesar Vargas (3.40) allowed four runs in 2/3 of an inning in relief.

In the first game, right-hander Cal Quantrill (1-4, 4.17) struck out six but allowed three runs on five hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings.

The Missions are 74-58 overall and 33-29 in the second half.

The regular season ends Monday. The postseason begins Sept. 6.

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (68-67)

• Chihuahuas 10, Fresno 2: RF Hunter Renfroe (.538) went 3-for-5 with his second homer and three RBIs, 3B Christian Villanueva (.293) hit his 20th homer and LF Franchy Cordero (.312) drove in three runs on two hits, including a triple. RHP Jordan Lyles (1-1, 4.50) struck out five and allowed two runs on three hits and three walks in five innings in the start. El Paso remained a game out of first place.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (39-25, 65-69)

• Lansing 6, TinCaps 5: RHP Lake Bachar (3-1, 4.26) allowed six runs – two earned – on 10 hits and no walks in six innings in the start. RHP Dauris Valdez (1.08) turned in two shutout innings in relief. SS Gabriel Arias (.282) went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored and LF Jorge Ona (.280) went 2-for-4 with a run scored. CF Buddy Reed (.226) went 1-for-3 with an RBI, a walk, his 12th steal and a run scored.

SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (19-14, 38-32)

• Dust Devils 4, Hillsboro 3: RHP Blake Rogers (2-0, 3.46) struck out four over two shutout innings in relief for the win after RHP Henry Henry (3.60) allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings in the start. 1B Chris Mattison (.217) went 2-for-4 with two triples and two RBIs and C Jalen Washington (.196) and RF Aldemar Burgos (.253) each had two hits.

ROOKIE AZL PADRES1 (9-16, 23-29)

• Mariners 12, Padres 11 (10): LHP Eduardo Solano (3-2, 5.76) allowed two runs – one earned – while recording one out in the walk-off loss. RHP Adrian Martinez (4.50) struck out five and allowed two runs – one earned – in four innings in the start. C Luis Campusano (.276) went 3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs and 2B Luis Esteury (.354) went 2-for-6 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

ROOKIE AZL PADRES2 (13-10, 28-22)

• Cubs 9, Padres 4: LHP Omar Fernandez (3-2, 7.75) allowed nine runs – six earned – on nine hits and a walk in four innings in the loss. RF Mason House (.322) went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, two RBIs and a run scored and LF Olivier Basabe (.257), 2B Eguy Rosario (.287) and DH Nick Feight (.239) each had two this.

Transactions

• C Marcus Greene Jr. was activated from Fort Wayne’s disabled list. • OF Tyler Benson was transferred from Fort Wayne to Tri-City. 14

Padres' power lifts strong Perdomo to win

By AJ Cassavell and Chris Haft / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- Padres starter Luis Perdomo grounded the Giants on Tuesday night. Matt Moore couldn't do the same to the San Diego offense.

Jabari Blash and Manuel Margot peppered Petco Park's second deck in left field, as the Padres secured a 6-3 victory that snapped their four-game losing streak. Blash's solo shot evened the score in the fourth, before Margot's three-run blast, his 13th homer of the season, gave the Friars the lead later in the frame. By the end of the night, all eight starting position players notched a hit for San Diego.

"This was the first tired stretch I felt like we ran into," said Padres manager Andy Green. "The last two games in Miami and a tough travel day and then yesterday felt like three, honestly, very tired days for our guys. It was good to see them rebound collectively today."

That was plenty of support for Perdomo, whose Major League-best ground-ball rate was on full display Tuesday night. He allowed two runs (one earned) over six impressive innings, using nine groundouts to three flyouts.

Moore, meanwhile, allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings, ending a stretch of three starts in which he was 1-0 with a 2.21 ERA. He criticized himself for hitting Cory Spangenberg with a pitch and walking Austin Hedges before Margot homered.

"Just setting the table like that, you've got your work cut out for you," said Moore, whose lapses led to the Giants' 14th loss in their last 18 road games.

Moore was well aware that Giants starters had recorded a 1.94 ERA and limited opponents to a .199 batting average in the previous eight games.

"I wanted to keep what Shark had going," said Moore, referring to Jeff Samardzija and his three- hit shutout in Monday's series opener.

Denard Span had three hits, and Joe Panik got one back with a homer in the eighth. But Padres closer Brad Hand, who has now held the Giants scoreless in 16 straight appearances, iced the game with his 13th save.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Early escapes: The Giants had Perdomo on the ropes in each of the first two innings. But Perdomo used his National League-leading 25th double-play grounder to escape the first. Spangenberg's two second-inning misplays helped push across a pair of Giants runs. But despite the early deficit, Perdomo didn't wilt. He struck out Jarrett Parker and got Pablo Sandoval to pop to center, limiting the damage.

"Those errors early, those things happen," Perdomo said. "You just have to move on. I was able to bounce back."

Hang four stars: Blash's homer was only part of his overall contribution Tuesday night. He made a brilliant sliding catch to rob Panik at the start of the sixth inning. Blash covered 37 feet in 3.0 seconds, according to Statcast™, making it a four-star catch. Shortstop Yangervis Solarte followed with a diving catch of Nick Hundley's liner, and the Padres negated the start of a potentially big inning.

NO WAY, SAYS JOSE Known mostly for his bat, Jose Pirela has made significant strides as a left fielder this season. His best catch to date came in the top of the eighth. Sandoval sent a deep drive into the left-field corner, but Pirela tracked it down, leaping at the last possible moment to prevent it from carrying over the short fence. Pirela himself seemed almost surprised to have come down with the baseball, smiling and pumping his fist as he lifted it from his glove.

"There's a saying that if you're not hitting, you have to make up for it on defense," Pirela said. "So I was able to do that."

VANOVER EXITS One batter after Pirela's catch, home-plate umpire Larry Vanover took a Brandon Crawfordfoul ball off the left side of his mask. Visibly shaken up, Vanover headed for the umpire's dressing room, and second-base ump David Rackley took his place behind the plate. Vanover's injury status is unclear.

WHAT'S NEXT Giants: Ty Blach will attempt to end his worst slump of his career when he starts Wednesday's 6:10 p.m. PT series finale for San Francisco. He has lost each of his last three starts and has an 8.82 ERA in that stretch. Padres: Travis Wood starts Wednesday's series finale at 6:10 p.m. PT, looking to continue his recent run of home success. Since joining the Padres at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, Wood has posted a 2.00 ERA in three starts at Petco Park, compared with an 8.40 mark in as many road outings.

Margot driven by desire to be a 'superstar' By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- In just over a month, the Padres will enter the offseason with plenty of question marks surrounding their corner outfield spots -- and the half dozen players set to compete for them next spring. In center field, however, Manuel Margot has erased those questions. The 22- year-old rookie is making a case that he'll roam center at Petco Park for years to come. Margot continued his second-half power surge with a three-run shot Tuesday night, the decisive blow in a 6-3 Padres victory over San Francisco. Margot also worked a walk during a sixth- inning rally and made a leaping catch in center field.

"When you're able to be an impact two-way player, that's what can make you into a superstar," Margot said. "That's something that I want to be. That's something that's pushing me -- to be that type of player who can have that kind of impact on both sides of the ball."

Indeed, it seems there's little Margot can't do. Power was supposed to be the tool most lacking from his skill set. But he's now launched 13 homers in his rookie campaign -- eight since the All- Star break.

On Tuesday, Margot found himself in a two-strike count in the fourth inning, then turned around a Matt Moore fastball and smacked it off the facing of the second deck. The pitch was below Margot's knees, yet he crushed it off the "2" denoting the number of strikes on the scoreboard.

"Just watching his batting practice, you knew [power] was going to come, but you didn't know exactly when it was going to come," said Padres manager Andy Green. "I was kind of looking at Year 2, Year 3, down the road, where it would start to click in. ... It's come quicker than expected."

For the better part of the past month, the Padres clubhouse has joked that Margot's homer binge is the result of "Dad strength." All eight of those second-half homers have come since the birth of his son, Diamond.

Obviously, there's a bit more to it.

"Every day, he's incredibly disciplined in his routines, with a purpose," said Padres hitting coach Alan Zinter. "He's very conscious of making every swing a good swing. His focus is there every day."

Margot is hitting .270/.314/.434 this season, solid numbers but a bit misleading. He struggled in May, while battling a nagging calf injury, which sent him to the disabled list for a month.

Other than that, Margot hadn't run into many cold stretches this season -- until an early August swoon saw his batting average dip 16 points in three weeks. He's responded nicely, hitting .333 with three extra-base hits and three walks over the past week.

"You have to try to stay consistent," Margot said. "You have to do the same things every day, and for me, that's what's worked. When you start to move away from that or drift from that consistency, that's when you start to encounter the grind."

Wood seeks more success at Petco Park By Chris Haft / MLB.com

San Francisco's Ty Blach and San Diego's Travis Wood, left-handers who have thrived at times and struggled at others, will compose the pitching matchup for Wednesday night's Giants-Padres series finale.

Blach (8-10) recorded 13 quality starts in his first 19 starts. But he's 0-3 with an 8.82 ERA in his last three outings. He has allowed four home runs in those games.

"He's not making a lot of mistakes, but the ones he has made have been costly," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Like most pitchers, Wood (3-4 overall, 2-1 with San Diego) savors performing at Petco Park. He's 4-1 with a 2.33 ERA in nine games there, including seven starts. However, this has been a rocky year for Wood overall, as his 6.03 ERA with the Royals and Padres reflects.

Things to know about this game

• Facing the Marlins in his last start, Wood served up two homers to Giancarlo Stanton, one of which was a 118.2 mph, 462-foot blast to left field. Since Statcast was introduced for the 2015 season, Wood had not previously allowed a homer with an exit velocity above 110.2 mph or a distance of more than 434 feet.

• Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval has lit up Wood, going 7-for-9 with three doubles and six RBIs. Blach has limited Padres slugger Wil Myers to one hit in seven at-bats, but that one hit was a homer.

• The percentages certainly count when it comes to Giants left-hander Josh Osich. Entering Tuesday, lefty hitters owned a .222 batting average against him. But righties were hitting .309.

Urias, Naylor among Padres going to AFL By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres will send an impressive crop of young talent to the Arizona Fall League this October, with eight prospects set to compete for the Peoria Javelinas.

Two of those eight players are ranked among the club's Top 30 prospects: second baseman Luis Urias (No. 3 on the Padres, No. 55 overall) and first baseman Josh Naylor (No. 10 on the Padres). Shortstop Javier Guerra and right-hander Walker Lockett also serve as compelling Fall League players.

Full Game Coverage 2017 Arizona Fall League rosters Click on the AFL team name to see complete roster. AFL club MLB clubs

Glendale CLE, CWS, LA, PHI, PIT

Peoria ATL, BOS, SD, SEA, TOR

Salt River ARI, BAL, COL, MIA, MIL

Surprise KC, MIN, STL, TB, TEX

Scottsdale CIN, LAA, NYM, NYY, SF CHC, DET, HOU, OAK,

Mesa WSH

Rounding out the group are right-handers David Bednar, T.J. Weir and Andres Munoz. Outfielder Franmil Reyes will serve as a taxi-squad player, meaning he can play in no more than two games per week unless he replaces an injured player.

The Arizona Fall League begins Oct. 10 and consists of high-end prospects from all 30 clubs. Those prospects are generally big league-caliber talents, thrust into a highly competitive environment.

Urias is the most prominent of the Padres' bunch, having raked at every level of the Minors through Double-A San Antonio this year. He's hitting .299 and reaching base at a .400 clip, and many in the organization believe Urias could knock on the big league door next season. The AFL offers Urias something of a chance to make his case.

Guerra, however, may be the most interesting of the group. Acquired from the Red Sox in the Craig Kimbrel deal, Guerra once stacked up with the best prospects in the organization. Defensively, he's been outstanding. But to say he hasn't lived up to expectations offensively

21 would be an understatement. He's batting .217/.261/.343 between Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio this season, after hitting .202/.264/.325 for Lake Elsinore last year.

Guerra is only 21 years old, and the Padres feel he still has time to figure things out. They hope his time with Peoria helps jump-start that process.

As for Lockett, he's probably closest to a big league debut. There's a chance he would've made it already if not for back trouble that has limited him to 10 starts with Triple-A El Paso this season. In that time, he's 5-2 with a 4.39 ERA.

Naylor, like Urias, is the rare 20-year-old in the Texas League (three years younger than the league's average age). After tearing through Class A Advanced early in the year, Naylor has posted a .252/.324/.366 slash line in 34 games for San Antonio.

Weir, Munoz and Bednar will pitch in relief for Peoria. Weir owns a 1.97 ERA between Elsinore and San Antonio. Bednar has a 2.78 mark between two levels of A ball. And Munoz has notched a 3.80 ERA with Class A Short-Season Tri-City.

Diaz returns early to bolster taxed bullpen By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- All along, the Padres had planned for rookie right-hander Miguel Diaz to make one start for Triple-A El Paso before his return from a right forearm strain.

Instead, their beleaguered bullpen put a halt to those plans.

With the Padres' relief corps in need of a respite, Diaz was activated before Tuesday's game, with shortstop Dusty Coleman optioned to El Paso. Diaz will likely be used out of the 'pen over the next couple of days, though it's still a possibility he returns to the rotation next month.

"Right now he's in the bullpen," Padres manager Andy Green said. "We've thought about bringing him back in the rotation, but we got to a point where we needed [relief help]."

Diaz, the top overall selection in the Rule 5 Draft, began the season as a reliever before transitioning to the rotation. He's posted a 6.82 ERA over 31 2/3 innings.

During his recovery, the Padres worked extensively with Diaz to adjust his mechanics. The one- time Brewers prospect has big-time velocity, but the club felt too much of that derived exclusively from his arm. So they altered his delivery a bit to better incorporate his lower half.

"He's made some good adjustments," Green said. "Is he 100 percent there? No. It takes awhile for guys, but he's made some adjustments. His arm is alive."

After Thursday's off-day, the Padres will need six starting pitchers in five days, a product of their doubleheader against the Dodgers on Saturday. Right now, Diaz is the likeliest option to slide into the rotation.

As for Coleman's demotion, it was more about roster management than anything else, and it's reasonable to think he'll return to San Diego shortly. Coleman batted .227/.268/.455 in 27 games for the Padres, while also serving as their best defensive infielder.

"It was nothing about how he had played," said Green. "I'd actually, frankly, like to start Dusty today. But we've got some arms in the bullpen that have been taxed pretty heavily."

On Deck Game returning to Petco Sept. 30 By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- Petco Park will host the "Padres On Deck Game" next month, the second year in a row in which the club's top prospects will compete in San Diego once the big league club has concluded its home slate.

The 2017 edition of the game will take place on Sept. 30 at 5:40 p.m. PT. Like last year's event, Padres prospects will face their counterparts from the Rangers' organization. San Diego won, 5-1, last October.

The game will feature the top Padres youngsters who are taking part in instructional ball this fall. Rosters for that league haven't been announced.

Josh Naylor, ranked by MLBPipeling.com as the Padres' No. 10 prospect, was the star of last year's game, with a double and a three-run homer. Other Padres prospects who competed last October were Cal Quantrill (ranked No. 2 in the San Diego system) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (No. 4).

MacKenzie Gore, the No. 3 overall Draft pick in June and the club's current top prospect, is the most prominent candidate for this year's game. He owns a 0.90 ERA in six starts in rookie ball.

The Padres will again host workouts at Petco Park in the week leading up to the contest, though those will not be available to the public. Ticket details for the game are expected to be released this week.

Padres’ Wil Myers helps fill backpacks with food for hungry kids POSTED 4:49 PM, AUGUST 29, 2017, BY FOX 5 DIGITAL TEAM

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Padres' Wil Myers teamed up with the San Diego Food Bank and San Diego Toyota Dealers Tuesday to help with the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program. The program gives backpacks full of food to hungry kids at three dozen local schools every week. There are 150,000 kids across the county who are food insecure, many of which leave school on Friday and go the weekend with little or nothing to eat.

The first baseman joined dozens of volunteers to fill the backpacks, which are given to the kids to get them through the weekend. The kids then turn in the backpack Monday for it to be filled for the next week.

"As a big leaguer, but just as a person in general, it's just good to be able to come out here and just be able to help and to give back to the community in any way I can," Myers told FOX 5. "It's great to be able to help people when you can and this is a great opportunity to."

Giants’ Blach tries to get back on track vs. Padres

SAN DIEGO — Ty Blach gets the start for the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday against the San Diego Padres, and he hopes the three-run homer doesn’t follow him to the third game of three-game series.

Blach (8-10, 4.68 ERA) has lost three consecutive starts, and the past two defeats featured a big fly with two runners aboard.

“He is not making a lot of mistakes, but the ones he has been making have been costly,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s had some tough losses, but he’s also left some pitches up.”

In losing to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, Blach was done in by Paul Goldschmidt’s three-run blast. Blach wound up allowing four runs on six hits in five innings.

“I thought he was throwing the ball well in Arizona,” Bochy said. “There were a couple balls that we didn’t quite get to, and Goldschmidt, who has hit a lot of home runs, well, Ty left an off-speed (pitch) up, and he took advantage of it.”

Philadelphia Phillies rookie Rhys Hoskins took advantage of the Giants not being familiar with him on Aug. 19. The price was Blach attacking Hoskins and getting bitten by a three-run blast.

“Ty and I talked about that situation,” Bochy said. “It’s where you have a young kid who has hit a lot of home runs in the minor leagues, but because maybe he doesn’t have a resume, so to speak, up here, you drop your guard. And we challenged him probably a little more than we should have and he hit that three-run homer off of us.”

Over the three-start losing streak, Blach has pitched to an 8.82 ERA with opponents hitting .338 against him.

“What he has to do is to stay away from those mistakes, especially when there are men on base,” Bochy said.

Against the Padres, Blach is 0-1 with a 3.71 ERA in his career.

The Padres will counter with Travis Wood (3-4, 6.03 ERA overall), and he was done in by homers as well in his most recent start. The Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton smashed a 462- foot, two-run shot and a solo blast. Marcell Ozuna added a three-run tater.

Wood lasted five innings and was charged with five runs and nine hits.

The left-hander won’t quite see anyone in the Giants’ lineup with Stanton’s power.

“If you execute your pitches, it makes him work,” Wood told MLB.com about Stanton, the major league leader with 51 homers. “But it you miss, he’s not going to miss it.”

How can Wood, who has won two of his three decisions since joining the Padres last month, avoid surrendering the home run ball?

“Execute pitches,” he said. “That’s about it.”

He has had tough luck against the Giants, pitching to a 2.96 ERA in 15 appearances, including six starts. However, he has lost three of the four decisions to them.

The San Francisco lineup likely will be missing Buster Posey (thumb). The All-Star catcher hasn’t played in the series, and he probably won’t start on Wednesday as the Giants go for the series win after splitting the first two games.

Padres beat Giants 6-3 behind Perdomo

SAN DIEGO -- Luis Perdomo went from on the ropes to the winner's circle for the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.

Manuel Margot and Jabari Blash homered to back Perdomo's six innings of solid pitching as the Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 6-3.

Perdomo (7-8) settled in after his pitch count climbed as he wiggled from jams in the first two innings.

"You could see that he was on the edge," Padres manager Andy Green said.

In winning for the first time in his last four starts, Perdomo surrendered two runs (one earned) and eight hits. He struck out three and walked two in working at least six innings in his eighth straight start.

"He was too quick in the first inning and then in the second," Green said. "Then he slowed himself down and for the rest of the game he was mostly good."

The Padres prevailed for the eighth time in their last 11 meetings with the Giants. Margot's fourth-inning blast, the rookie's 13th of the season, gave the Padres their first lead of the game. Blash's bash to lead off the fourth set the stage for the four-run inning.

Three Padres relievers finished off the Giants with Brad Hand handling the ninth for his 13th save.

The Giants lost for the fourth time in five games.

Matt Moore's dreadful season continued. Moore (4-13) entered the game with the highest ERA (5.38) of any qualified NL starting pitcher. In 16 of his 27 outings this season, he has allowed at least four runs.

Despite some encouraging signs in his last three starts, it was a familiar script for Moore against the Padres. Moore was charged with five runs and eight hits, with a walk and a hit batter. He struck out two.

Blash crushed Moore's 80 mph changeup in the fourth to tie the score at 2. His solo shot went 412 feet.

The big blow was Margot's three-run shot, which came after Austin Hedgesreached on a walk and Perdomo via a fielder's choice.

Both Blash and Margot also delivered defensive gems in the outfield. Jose Pireladid as well when he leaped above the left-field fence in the eighth to rob Pablo Sandoval of a homer.

The Padres pulled within 2-1 in the second on Cory Spangenberg's RBI infield single. The Giants struck first in the second, thanks to the Padres' shoddy defense.

Joe Panik singled to start the inning and advanced when Nick Hundley reached on Spangenberg's fielding error at third. Moore's one-out attempt to sacrifice turned into a bunt single and when Spangenberg produced a throwing error as Panik scored. Denard Span followed with an RBI double, his second of three hits, as the Giants went ahead 2-0.

"Those things happen," Perdomo said through a translator. "You just have to move on and get back to what I needed to do. That was to attack the batters, to go after them."

Manager Bruce Bochy knew the Giants let a chance to break fast slip away.

"Those first couple of innings, that came back to haunt us there," he said. "We created those chances there and couldn't cash in."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Giants: C Buster Posey (sprained left thumb) was out of the lineup for the second straight game. It's doubtful that Posey will start on Wednesday. UP NEXT

Giants: LHP Ty Blach (8-10, 4.68) is 0-3 with an 8.82 ERA over his last three starts, with opponents hitting .338 (23 for 68) against him. He's faced the Padres three times in his career, going 0-1 with a 3.71 ERA.

Padres: LHP Travis Wood (3-4, 6.03) has thrown at least five innings in each of his six starts with the Padres since coming over in a trade with the Royals. In nine career outings (seven starts) at Petco Park, he's 4-1 with a 2.33 ERA.

Ump Larry Vanover forced from game after foul tip to mask

SAN DIEGO -- Home plate umpire Larry Vanover left the Giants-Padres game Tuesday night after being struck in the face mask by a foul tip.

Vanover staggered when struck by the ball off Brandon Crawford's bat in the eighth inning. After being examined by the Padres medical staff, Vanover left the field and was replaced by second- base umpire David Rackley after an 8-minute delay.

Andy’s Address: Reactivating Diaz, Optioning Coleman and More

By Bill Center

With groundball specialist Luis Perdomo starting for the Padres Tuesday night, Andy Green would have started Dusty Coleman at shortstop . . . if Coleman were still here.

But with the Padres running shy of available relief pitchers, Coleman was optioned to Triple-A El Paso Tuesday afternoon so that Rule 5 rookie Miguel Diaz could be activated from the 60-day disabled list to immediately bolster the Padres bullpen and possibly start one game of Saturday’s day/night doubleheader against the Dodgers . . . if not needed sooner.

Green discussed today’s moves and the Sept. 1 roster expansion during his pre-game media session Tuesday.

“We sent down Coleman, who had done a solid job for us while he was here,” said Green. “The guys we’ve got right now, we’ll defend the field the best we can today because there will be a lot of balls put on the ground with Luis pitching.

“We sent Dusty down, but it had nothing to do with how he played. Frankly, I’d have liked to start Dusty today.

“But it comes down to preserving arms in the bullpen. They’ve been taxed pretty heavily recently. When you look at the usage of those guys who we value a great deal. In my mind, when I watch Phil Maton pitch, he’s running into his first real season in the big leagues and he’s fatiguing a little bit. I believe he’ll rise up and handle it, but he doesn’t need to be pitched very other day or every single day. Jose Torres is feeling it. Kirby Yates is feeling it. Craig Stammen has been used a lot coming off his surgery.

“The only guy who is really fresh is the guy who can take the ball every single day of the year, Brad Hand, and he feels great. But everybody else needed that extra arm in the bullpen.”

Green said he was happy to have Diaz back, although he was unsure of his ultimate role over the final month of the season. Diaz last appeared for the Padres on June 23 when he suffered a forearm strain.

“We kind of planned on stretching Diaz out and be a candidate to start in that Sept. 2 doubleheader,” said Green. “Where we are right now, he’s going to be available in the bullpen. If we need to use him for length, then he’s probably not a candidate to start a game. If he continues to not be used, he becomes a candidate for that Sept. 2 game.

“He’s here to protect everybody else. He feels good now, too, so we’re happy to have him back. He’s made some adjustments (to use his lower body more in his pitches). Is he 100 percent there, ‘No.’ The arm is alive. The curve ball better than when we saw it earlier.”

Even if Diaz comes out of the bullpen now and the Padres need to call up a minor league pitcher for a start in the Saturday doubleheader, Green said there is a strong possibility that Diaz will start before the season is over.

“That depends on the health of the guys in the rotation and what we need,” said Green. “There’s some other candidates in the minor leagues who could come up and potentially start for us. Right now, he’s in the bullpen. We kind of thought about bringing him back into the rotation. We got to the point where the need was so great we had to have another healthy bullpen arm.”

Green then discussed the state of the bullpen.

“We were hoping the couple off days recently would rest the guys,” said Green. “Then you look up and see the way we’ve used them the last couple of weeks and they’ve been used very extensively. It’s kind of where we are in the building process. It’s much better to have an eight-man bullpen protecting guys and making sure they are healthy. A four-man bench is not better from a strategy perspective. But where we are right now, protecting the health of the guys in the bullpen is the №1 priority.”

Green said the Padres have been discussing the September callups for several weeks. Expect to see Coleman return Saturday as the only shortstops available now are Yangervis Solarte and Rule 5 rookie Allen Córdoba.

Green discussed the high percentage of ground balls by Padres pitchers and Perdomo.

“The ground balls are mostly a byproduct of having Perdomo and Clayton Richard in your rotation,” said Green. “Those two guys are as prolific ground ball pitchers as there are in the game. The upside of that is when it’s on the ground, it’s not going out of the ballpark. Then the downside is they have lower strikeout rates when the game is turning towards punching guys out and keeping guys from putting the ball in play.

“We don’t have nor have we had the rangiest infield right now, so I think these guys would profit a great deal if we continue to improve on our infield movement.”

As for Perdomo, Green said:

“He’s been able to recognize the middle of innings when it has been spinning fast. That awareness is all you can really give to a player. For the most part, it’s good to see a young guy start of make

32 those adjustments. I can still look back at that sixth inning in St. Louis when he speeds up again. Speeding up is still a challenge for him. For the most part, we’re pleased with where he’s moved in the last month. We felt the progress was probably slow up until the last month. We feel good about what he’s done in the last month.”

Padres On Deck: Urías Heads List of Eight Prospects Playing in Arizona Fall League

By Bill Center

Texas League All-Star second baseman Luis Urías heads the list of eight Padres prospects named to play on the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.

Urías, 20, is the Padres’ third-ranked prospect and ranked 55th overall by MLB.com. He could also play some at shortstop in the AFL. Urías is hitting .299 with a .400 on-base percentage for Double-A San Antonio this season.

The Padres’ other top-10 ranked prospect in the AFL will be 20-year-old San Antonio first baseman Josh Naylor. The Canadian native is hitting .259 for the Missions.

Also going from San Antonio and the Texas League playoffs will be shortstop Javier Guerra, 21, and right-handed relief pitcher T.J. Weir, 26. Right fielder Franmil Reyes, 22, who leads both the Texas League and all Padres minor leaguers in home runs (23) and RBIs (99) will play a limited Fall League schedule as a member of the Javelinas taxi squad.

Other Padres playing in the AFL will be right-handed starter Walker Lockett and right-handed relievers David Bednar and Andres Munoz.

Lockett, 23, has been rehabbing in the Arizona Rookie League after suffering a mid-season injury while with Triple-A El Paso, where he was 5–2 with a 4.39 earned run average in 10 starts. Lockett was the Padres’ fourth-round pick in the 2012 draft.

Weir is 4–2 with a 2.01 ERA in 33 appearances (two starts) with San Antonio. He has 55 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings.

Bednar, 22, a 35th-round pick in the 2016 draft, moved from Single-A Fort Wayne to Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore at mid-season where he has a 4.01 ERA in 19 appearances. He had a 1.87 ERA in 24 appearances with the TinCaps with 50 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings.

Guerra is hitting .193 with San Antonio after being promoted from Lake Elsinore.

Munoz, 18, is 3–0 with a 3.80 ERA in 21 appearances with Short-Season Single-A Tri-City. The native of Mexico has 35 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings.