Padres Press Clips Monday, November 13, 2017

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Thousands pedal around county to raise funds to SD Union Tribune Pearlman 2 end cancer

Friar talk: Pondering the next 40-man additions SD Union Tribune Sanders 4

Padres, Dodgers to play Mexico series in May SD Union Tribune Lin 7

Padres appear headed for a (mostly) quiet offseason SD Union Tribune Lin 8

Offseason leagues: Bullpen arms flexing muscles in AFL SD Union Tribune Sanders 11

Inbox: Should Padres keep the bullpen intact? MLB.com Cassavell 14

Padres have several in-house outfield options MLB.com Cassavell 17

Report: Dodgers and Padres Will Play Three-Game Sports Illustrated Rollins 20 Series In Mexico in May

Dodgers and Padres set for Mexico series in May Shaikin LA Times 21

Padres offseason update: Naylor, Urias contribute in FOX Sports Horvath 23 Fall Stars Game

Fifth annual Padres Pedal the Cause held at Petco Park CBS 8 Hessedal 25

Padres On Deck: Franchy Cordero Leads Long List FriarWire Center 26 of CF Prospect

Padres On Deck: Teenagers House, Ornelas Top Left FriarWire Center 29 Field Prospects

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE Thousands pedal around county to raise funds to end cancer

Karen Pearlman

In a costume straight out of Comic-Con — bold yellow tank top featuring his name, bright blue spandex tights and cape, blue top hat and star-studded sunglasses — a bicyclist dressed as “Captain Challenge” rode across the finish line of a fundraiser to fight cancer on Sunday at Petco Park with a big grin on his face.

“I’m about doing something you have never done before,” said Daniel Powell, a cancer survivor, explaining why he cycled 66 miles on Sunday after an 88-mile ride on Saturday.

Powell was one of nearly 1,900 cyclists who took part in the weekend’s Padres Pedal the Cause, for “a world without cancer.”

Since 2013, the event has raised nearly $5 million toward cancer research and helped fund more than 30 projects.

The 2017 event featured four bicycle routes on Saturday and another three on Sunday. All routes began and ended at Petco Park.

Organizers say that 100 percent of funds raised go to San Diego County-based cancer research groups: Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.

“All the money stays in San Diego, that’s one of the best things about it, and makes it unique,” said Agnes Lee, who lives in Encinitas and cycled both days. “I’ve raised $18,000 over four years for Pedal for the Cause. I lost both of my parents to cancer, and also my mother-in-law and one of my best friends.”

The longest route was nearly 90 miles, and was called “Honey Springs Heartbreaker.” That Saturday journey took riders on a scenic tour over the Coronado Bridge toward the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, then out along Honey Springs Road in Jamul and back on the Bayshore Bikeway to downtown.

Both days also included several hundred participants who chose to ride a stationary bike on the field at Petco Park.

Amy Koman, wife of Pedal the Cause founder Bill Koman, took part in one of the several hour-long spin classes taught by upbeat instructor Paul Fishman from SparkCycle.

“This is something everyone can relate to,” Amy Koman said. “We all know someone with cancer.”

Saturday’s festivities included a special event to honor children and their families who are dealing with cancer.

Sunday’s event closed with Padres Vice President of Community & Military Affairs Tom Seidler asking participants to bring friends and family to future fundraising rides to possibly raise as much as $10 million, he said.

It was the fifth year the event has been held in San Diego. Bill Koman, a two-time lymphoma survivor, started the event in St. Louis in 2009.

Koman, his wife and their three daughters now call Rancho Santa Fe home but still keep the St. Louis event going as well. That two-day event at the end of September raised nearly $4 million.

Fundraising for this year’s San Diego event goes through December, but already totals nearly $2 million.

“The goal is to get all these groups the dollars they need for research,” Bill Koman said. “You can donate to so many causes and events individually. We like to bring the whole coalition together.”

Powell, aka Captain Challenge, was riding as part of a 22-member group called “Revolution Against Cancer” that is headed by three-time cancer survivor Michelle Tull.

Tull said their group rode for a 5-year-old child who has cancer.

“The rides are about the people, the cause, the cure,” Tull said.

Friar talk: Pondering the next 40-man additions

Jeff Sanders

Monday’s flurry of roster moves left the Padres’ 40-man roster with two open spots: Hector Sanchez and Tim Melville are free agents, the waived Cory Mazzoni is a Cub and Carter Capps, Colin Rea, Robbie Erlin, Matt Strahm and Alex Dickerson are off the 60-day disabled list.

While the offseason will provide General Manager A.J. Preller with ample opportunity to fill his roster, the next additions could come directly from the Padres’ farm system.

Teams have until Nov. 20 to protect players from December’s Rule 5 Draft.

While that traditionally signals the start of Preller sifting through rival farm systems for undervalued talent, he’ll be sure to take a hard look at the assets that he could lose to other teams if they aren’t added to the 40-man roster this offseason.

Generally, those players (19 and older) signed out of college or junior college in 2014 or earlier or out of high school or as an international amateur in 2013 (17 and under).

Here’s a look at players the Padres could consider adding ahead of next week’s deadline:

LHP Brad Wieck

• Age: 26 • Signed: 7th round in 2014 (Oklahoma City) • 2017 stats: 2-1, 3.96 ERA, 7 saves, 61 Ks, 23 BBs, 1.42 WHIP, .221 opponent avg., 38 2/3 IP (R/AA/AAA) • What to know: The player to be named later from the Mets in the Alex Torres deal, Weick is 6-foot-9, throws in the mid-90s from the left side and fanned a career-high 15 batters per nine innings in 2017. There’s no way he’s exposed to the Rule 5 draft. He struggled in a brief stay in El Paso last year (8 ER in 7 IP), but is firmly on San Diego’s radar after earning a spot in the 2016 Arizona Fall League with a 1.17 ERA in 61 1/3 innings that year.

RHP T.J. Weir

• Age: 26 4

• Signed: 17th round in 2014 (Ball State) • 2017 stats: 6-2, 2.09 ERA, 79 Ks, 20 BBs, 1.06 WHIP, .215 opponent avg., 77 1/3 IP (A/AA) • What to know: He doesn’t boast an overpowering fastball, but mixes his secondaries – slider, curve and a change – well. He’s fanned 277 batters in 258 innings in the minors (3.21) and is clearly on San Diego’s mind with his invitation to this year’s Arizona Fall League. There, Weir has struck out five and allowed a run on four hits and no walks in 5 2/3 innings.

LHP Jose Castillo

• Age: 21 • Signed: Out of Venezuela in July 2012 • 2017 stats: 4-2, 2.88 ERA, 1 save, 59 Ks, 26 BBs, 1.28 WHIP, .222 opponent avg., 56 1/3 IP (A/AA) • What to know: Castillo is eligible for a second straight year, but lifted his profile after starting for the Venezuela bullpen in the World Baseball Classic. With a mid-90s fastball and low-80s slider that made Christian Yelich and Nolan Arenado look silly in the WBC, Castillo advanced to Double-A San Antonio in 2017 after fanning 49 batters in 47 innings in the Cal League (2.89 ERA).

OF Franmil Reyes

• Age: 22 • Signed: Out of Dominican Republic in November 2011 • 2017 stats: .258 avg., .322 OBP, .464 SLG, 25 HRs, 102 RBIs, 79 runs, 4 steals, 134 K, 135 games (AA) • What to know: Previously eligible for the Rule 5 draft, Reyes’ breakout year – he led the organization in homers and RBIs – landed him in the Arizona Fall League. There, the 6-foot-4, 24-pound Reyes has one homer in eight games in limited action as a taxi squad member.

RHP Eric Yardley

• Age: 27 • Signed: Undrafted free agent in July 2013 (Seattle University) • 2017 stats: 3-2, 2.05 ERA, 6 saves, 60 Ks, 13 BBs, 1.02 WHIP, .227 opponent avg., 70 1/3 IP (AA/AAA) 5

• What to know: He was a mid-season All-Star at Lake Elsinore in 2015 (2.72 ERA) and again in 2017 in San Antonio, where he fashioned a 2.05 ERA over 61 1/3 innings. Yardley participated in the Arizona Fall League in 2015 (5.25 ERA) and has allowed one earned run in 12 2/3 innings thus far this offseason in the Dominican winter league.

Other eligible players: RHP Jason Jester (El Paso) RHP Colby Blueberg (Lake Elsinore), RHP Chris Huffman (EL Paso), RHP Adam Cimber (El Paso), RHP Emmanuel Ramirez (Lake Elsinore), RHP Gerardo Reyes (Lake Elsinore), OF Rod Boykin (Lake Elsinore), INF Ruddy Giro (Lake Elsinore), RHP Zech Lemond (Lake Elsinore), OF Nick Torres (San Antonio), OF Auston Bousfield (San Antonio).

Around the water cooler

• Based on 2017 goals, ESPN’s Sam Miller ranked the Padres 18th out of 30 teams, saying it was not a good season, but it had purpose: “For a team in full rebuild, with practically no concern for the major league product and maybe three good players, it could have been a lot, lot uglier.” • Because next year’s goals won’t be all that much different, MLB.com’s A.J. Cassavell predicts the Padres will be on the lookout for short-term free agent additions. • Also from MLB.com, Manuel Margot in center field is the only lock in the outfield as the Padres prepare for spring training.

Padres, Dodgers to play Mexico series in May

Dennis Lin

Major League Baseball’s quest for global relevance will travel south of the border next season.

The Padres will host the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series May 4-6 in Monterrey, Mexico, a source confirmed. The games will be played at Estadio Monterrey, which the Padres previously visited for regular-season series in 1996 and 1999.

The latest series in Monterrey replaces a three-game set that had been scheduled for Petco Park. MLB has a process to help compensate the Padres for lost revenue, a source said. Estadio Monterrey has a regular capacity of 27,000.

According to the Los Angeles Times, an official announcement will come Monday. The regular-season series will be the first of six MLB intends to play in Mexico over the next six seasons. There also are plans for series in Asia and the United Kingdom.

The Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins are scheduled to play in Puerto Rico in April.

A Dodgers-Padres series in Mexico City had previously been proposed, but delays in the construction of a new ballpark prompted discussions to shift to Monterrey.

The Padres have one player of Mexican heritage on their 40-man roster. Third baseman Christian Villanueva, who was born in Guadalajara, made his major league debut in September.

Padres infield prospect Luis Urias, a native of Magdalena de Kino, is expected to make his own big-league debut sometime next season.

It remains to be seen if Villanueva and Urias will be with the Padres when they travel to Monterrey.

Padres appear headed for a (mostly) quiet offseason

Dennis Lin

The Padres, after a summer of dismantling, inhabited the sidelines last offseason. They traded Derek Norris for a prospect in the low minors. Their splurging consisted of contract extensions for Wil Myers and Yangervis Solarte and one-year contracts for a quartet of veteran pitchers. They were again active in the Rule 5 draft, telegraphing what 2017 would hold.

Baseball’s general managers meetings, unofficially the start of hot-stove season, begin Monday in Orlando. What the Padres hope to accomplish in 2018 will inform their discussions, both within the organization and with other teams.

“The biggest thing just continues to be getting players to the big leagues and having them develop,” General Manager A.J. Preller said. “As long as those guys are performing well and we’re continuing to create a winning culture at the big-league level, I think that’s really where our focus is. If you do that consistently over the course of the next 12 months, I think we’re going to be positioned in a good spot to be winning games here sooner rather than later.”

In other words, another quiet winter is a distinct possibility. The Padres wish to make noise in 2019, when a number of high-ceiling prospects could impact the major league product. In the meantime, the franchise’s strategy calls for more restraint.

The Padres would like to re-sign Jhoulys Chacin and Craig Stammen — “We’ll get into the next few weeks and see what the market bears … but we’ll continue having dialogue with their groups,” Preller said — two arms that buoyed the staff last season.

San Diego will examine a wide variety of other starting-pitching options and contemplate bullpen changes, from minor alterations to potential deals involving All-Star reliever Brad Hand. Solarte is another obvious trade candidate. Hector Sanchez’s entry into free agency means the Padres will be in the market for a backup catcher and left-handed offense.

Shortstop remains a different kind of beast. Fernando Tatis Jr. could arrive at Petco Park by September, but he is weeks away from his 19th birthday and the Padres will proceed cautiously with their most prized prospect. Luis Urias, 20 and nearing his own debut, can play either middle-infield position but is more suited for second base. In an interview last week on

The Mighty 1090, Executive Chairman Ron Fowler indicated fatigue from a string of failed attempts at plugging the hole at short.

Zack Cozart, the top name available in free agency, is coming off a career season but will be seeking a multi-year deal at age 32.

“I think the positive thing for us is we have a lot of infielders in the minor leagues who are starting to get closer to the big leagues,” Preller said. “That will be part of our discussion over the course of the next month, is weighing out the internal options that are starting to make themselves real options in the middle of the diamond for us versus what else is out there on the trade or free-agent market.”

That approach extends to multiple areas, including starting pitching, where San Diego’s minor league talent appears most abundant. Several promising prospects reached Double-A last season, and several will receive invitations to major league spring training.

The Padres’ youth, team officials suggest, does not necessitate the pursuit of another high draft pick. Players such as Manuel Margot and Austin Hedges gained valuable experience in 2017, when the Padres lost 91 games, earning the seventh overall selection next June. A booming farm system already boasts depth at multiple positions.

“I think (the 2018 season) will be another developmental year, but I expect more wins than we have this year,” Fowler told the Union-Tribune in late September. “I would expect we will be in a more refined stage of development.”

While Fowler said “when we’re ready to spend money we’ll spend money,” the Padres do have financial flexibility they could use to supplement the “winning culture” Preller mentioned. Current payroll commitments for 2018, including projected salaries for arbitration-eligible players, amount to less than $50 million.

“We’ve had discussions internally about real players that are going to be available,” Managing Partner Peter Seidler, also speaking in late September, said.

On that front, a major free agent should soon become available, for a price that will appeal to all 30 clubs. Friday in Japan, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters announced they will allow star pitcher-slugger Shohei Ohtani to depart for the majors through the posting system.

If the Major League Baseball Players Association signs off, the Fighters reportedly will set the posting fee at $20 million, on its own a bargain for a talent of Ohtani’s caliber. Because the 23-year-old falls under international signing guidelines, the largest bonus he can receive is

$3.535 million from the Texas Rangers. The Padres are among 12 teams that, due to international penalties, can offer only $300,000.

Early speculation places large-market clubs, playing in cities with lucrative endorsement opportunities, as the frontrunners for Ohtani. The Padres are viewed as long shots, but they, along with most other teams, are expected to make a pitch.

Offseason leagues: Bullpen arms flexing muscles in AFL

Jeff Sanders

The Padres jump-started a grand bullpen makeover in July when Brandon Maurerand Ryan Buchter were shipped to Kansas City. Brad Hand could follow them out the door as soon as this offseason. While an initial crop of replacements began to make their mark in 2017 – from Carter Capps to rookies Phil Maton, Kyle McGrath and Buddy Baumann – some of the organization’s brightest relief prospects remain stashed on the farm.

Three in particular are making a name for themselves in the Arizona Fall League: Andres Munoz, David Bednar and T.J. Weir.

That trio has combined for 22 strikeouts and three earned runs over 20 1/3 innings this fall for Peoria.

The youngest of them is leading the way.

With a fastball that approaches 100 mph, the 18-year-old Munoz – the youngest player in the AFL – has fanned 10 batters, walked two and allowed a run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings. The showing is especially impressive because Munoz started the season in short-season Tri-City and had thrown only 2 1/3 innings at low Single-A Fort Wayne before receiving his fall league invite.

The 23-year-old Bednar advanced to high Single-A Lake Elsinore in his second year in the organization and has struck out seven and allowed a run on one hit – a homer – in seven innings this fall. Bednar struck out 81 and posted a 2.64 ERA over 61 1/3 innings at the Padres’ A-ball affiliates.

Meantime, the 26-year-old Weir has struck out five and allowed a run on four hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings. He is Rule-5 eligible this offseason after going 6-2 with a 2.09 ERA, 79 strikeouts and a 1.06 WHIP in 77 1/3 innings split between Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio.

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE ROUND-UP

• 1B Josh Naylor (San Antonio) is 11-for-43 (.256) over his last 10 games, but is still hitting .304/.337/.494 with three homers, 14 RBIs and two steals. … INF Luis 11

Urias(San Antonio) is hitting .319/.452/.489 with eight RBIs, 13 walks and just five strikeouts in 15 games for Peoria. … SS Javier Guerra (San Antonio) is hitting .250/.268/.400 with one homer, three RBIs, one walk and 12 strikeouts in 10 games. … OF Franmil Reyes (San Antonio) is hitting .167/.167/.367 with one homer, four RBIs and seven strikeouts in eight games. • RHP Walker Lockett (El Paso) is 1-1 with a 6.63 ERA, 16 strikeouts and a 1.89 WHIP in 19 innings. … LHP Jerry Keel (Lake Elsinore) has a 4.63 ERA, nine strikeouts and seven walks in 11 2/3 innings.

DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE ROUND-UP

• SS Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Antonio), according to Baseball America, has been shut down to have an actual offseason. Tatis had 641 plate appearances spread between low Single-A Fort Wayne, Double-A San Antonio and the Dominican winter league. He also participated in the Padres’ instructional league. The 18-year-old Tatis was hitting .246/.358/.386 with one homer, nine walks and eight strikeouts in 17 games for Estrellas Orientales. … OF Franchy Cordero (El Paso) is hitting .287/.351/.391 with one homer, six RBIs and four steals in 23 games for Escogido. … RHP Eric Yardley (El Paso) is 2-1 with an 0.57 ERA, seven strikeouts and a .179 opponent average in 15 2/3 innings for Cibaeo. … INF Diego Goris (El Paso) is 3-for-16 (.188) in five games for Aguilas Cibaenas. … C Webster Rivas (San Antonio) is 1-for-5 for Cibao. … RHP Hansel Rodriguez (Fort Wayne) has allowed two runs in 2 2/3 innings for Este.

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE ROUND-UP

• C Luis Torrens (San Diego) has paired 14 RBIs with a .277/.327/.372 batting line in 20 games for Magallanes. He has one homer, four doubles and a triple. … LHP Jose Castillo (San Antonio) has seven strikeouts and three earned runs allowed over 5 1/3 innings, also for Magallanes, while RHP Jose Ruiz (Lake Elsinore) has two strikeouts and six runs – four earned – allowed over nine innings. … RHP Trevor Frank (Lake Elsinore) has allowed six runs in 9 1/3 innings for Zulia.

MEXICAN WINTER LEAGUE ROUND-UP

• RHP Cesar Vargas (San Antonio) leads the league with 31 strikeouts in 24 innings. He is 1-2 with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. … RHP Gerardo Reyes (Lake Elsinore) has allowed four runs – three earned – in 9 1/3 innings for Obregon. … RHP Kyle 12

Lloyd (El Paso) has allowed two earned runs in eight innings for Jalisco. He has nine strikeouts against one walk.

MLB.COM Inbox: Should Padres keep the bullpen intact? Beat reporter AJ Cassavell fields fans' questions

AJ Cassavell

Why mess with the bullpen? The Padres should at least do whatever they can to keep Brad Hand and Craig Stammen. They are irreplaceable, steady and reliable. -- Mike B., Bonsall, Calif.

Steady and reliable? Yes. Irreplaceable? Certainly not. Hand and Stammen are two very different cases, so let's take a look at them individually.

First, Hand is arguably the best available relief pitcher on the market. We're coming off a postseason in which reliable relief pitching felt more important than it ever has. General manager A.J. Preller has proven he's willing to keep Hand, if he's not blown away by a trade offer. I'd suspect that if the Padres move Hand, they'd get some serious young talent in return.

As for Stammen, he's a free agent -- and a valuable one at that. After posting an 8.49 ERA in April, that number dipped to 2.23 for the rest of the season. He can serve in both short and long roles, and he was a wizard at stranding runners in 2017. Stammen has expressed a desire to return to San Diego. But coming off those last five months, he'll be highly sought-after elsewhere. The Padres need to determine whether it's worth ponying up for a reliever who will be 34 on Opening Day.

Will Yangervis Solarte stay a Padre? If so, in what position? Is he a valuable trade chip? -- Allison R., [No hometown given]

If Solarte remains in San Diego -- and that's a sizeable "if" entering the offseason -- it's unlikely he'd have a set position. The Padres view Carlos Asuaje as a second baseman, exclusively. They view Cory Spangenberg the same way at third. Solarte is still on track for 500-600 at-bats. But he'd likely rotate between the two spots, while backing up at shortstop as well.

Then again, there's a clear logjam at second and third base. Solarte is an experienced hitter with a team-friendly contract, and he's extremely versatile. That makes him the likeliest of the

14 bunch to be dealt. Right now, I'd argue that it's a coin flip as to whether he returns next season.

(There's also the possibility that another team comes calling on Spangenberg or Asuaje, which would theoretically give Solarte a more permanent role in the infield.)

Should the Padres turn Spangenberg into a Ben Zobrist-type player? It would help un-clog the infield, and he could still get over 400 at-bats. -- Robert G., Santee, Calif.

Funny you bring up Zobrist's name. Spangenberg has done so himself on more than one occasion, noting that he'd love to emulate Zobrist as an asset in both the infield and the outfield. No doubt, Spangenberg brings value to the roster as an athlete.

That said, I don't see the Padres asking him to do nearly as much as Zobrist does for Chicago. Spangenberg had a shaky season defensively at third base. They'd prefer that he focus on the nuances of the hot corner, rather than splitting reps among second, third and left.

With Solarte and Asuaje on board, I don't expect Spangenberg to see time at second base in 2018. He won't play much left field either -- though his raw athleticism makes him capable, and he could provide some roster flexibility as a backup there.

With Hunter Renfroe so dominant against lefties, should the Padres consider platooning him with a strong left-handed bat? -- Jim H., El Cajon, Calif.

Renfroe absolutely torched left-handed pitching in his rookie season, to the tune of a .316/.392/.684 slash line. He had no such success against righties (.202/.244/.393). In September, manager Andy Green brought up the word "platoon" as something of word of a warning. As in: If Renfroe doesn't adjust to right-handed pitching, he could become a platoon player down the road.

Right now, however, it's too early for Renfroe to be labeled as such. Plenty of rookies have struggled early with big league pitchers of their own handedness. Many of those youngsters have made the necessary adjustments. Renfroe, to his credit, acknowledges his need to improve. This offseason, he's focused on extreme flips from the right side, and he has plans to face right-handers almost exclusively in live batting practice.

It's also worth noting what a healthy Alex Dickerson could bring to the Padres roster. After missing the 2017 season with a back injury, the lefty slugger would be a nice complement for the righty-hitting Renfroe and Jose Pirela. That said, let's not use "platoon" and Renfroe in the same breath just yet.

Potential free-agent targets

Chacin, Aybar and Stammen are obvious candidates to return. Stammen is a useful bullpen piece and Aybar could slot back in at shortstop -- though the Padres would like to find some competition for him. Externally, former Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar makes sense. San Diego had the most ground-ball-heavy starting rotation in the Majors last season. Escobar -- who isn't the defensive wiz he once was -- would still be an upgrade over the past three seasons.

There are a number of options for the rotation and 'pen, many of whom fit the one-year reclamation-project mold. Behind the plate, the Padres could use a serviceable backup for Austin Hedges, and a veteran like A.J. Ellis or Rene Rivera might be a worthwhile pickup.

Wild card scenario

The Padres' biggest offseason question centers around Hand, arguably the top relief option available on the trade market. General manager A.J. Preller has already proven his willingness to keep Hand, but he's also made it clear he expects to receive offers.

If Hand (and, to a lesser extent, Stammen) leave, the Padres will find themselves in dire need of bullpen help. It's hard to envision San Diego opening the 2018 season with a relief corps centered around Yates and Phil Maton. Without Hand, it's likely the Padres pursue at least two veteran relievers to bolster a young bullpen.

Padres have several in-house outfield options Only Margot appears to be a lock going into spring

AJ Cassavell

SAN DIEGO -- Manuel Margot will anchor center field for the Padres in 2018. That much seems certain enough.

The rest of the outfield is anyone's guess. The Padres enter the offseason with at least seven other outfield candidates for the 2018 roster. All seven come with serious question marks.

Given the wealth of options, it's hard to envision general manager A.J. Preller bringing another starting outfielder on board. The Padres have more pressing roster concerns, and they appear to have enough options in-house

With that in mind, here's a look at how the 2018 outfield might shape up.

Margot Projection: Makes roster, starter in center field

There are two or three favorites to start in the 2018 Padres outfield. Margot is the only stone- cold lock. He was excellent in his rookie season, posting a .263/.313/.409 slash line, while starring defensively in center. Plus, Margot only just turned 23 and has plenty of room to grow -- at the plate, on the bases and in the field.

Hunter Renfroe Projection: Makes roster, likely starter in right field

It was a roller coaster season for Renfroe, who set the club's rookie home run record (26) but struggled to reach base. His on-base percentage simply (.284) wasn't good enough, and he was demoted to Triple-A in August as a result. It's likeliest Renfroe opens the season as a starter in right field. But if he wants to maintain that spot, he'll need to improve on his .202/.244/.393 slash line against right-handed pitching.

Jose Pirela Projection: Makes roster, likely starter in left field

By the end of the season, Pirela had improved enough defensively to merit his status as a league-average left fielder. If he can contribute the same production at the plate in 2018, he'll almost certainly maintain his place in left field.

Alex Dickerson Projection: Makes roster if healthy, bench

The Padres sorely missed Dickerson's bat in the middle of their order last season. Manager Andy Green called him the club's "most professional hitter" on more than one occasion. Dickerson, who has a disc protusion in his lower back, is optimistic that his back will be fully healed by Spring Training. If so, he'd make for a nice left-handed piece to rotate with righty- hitting Pirela and Renfroe.

Matt Szczur Projection: Fringe roster candidate Szczur is out of options, meaning there's nowhere to put him if he doesn't make the roster. The arbitration-eligible 28-year-old was more valuable than most realized last season, playing stellar defense, while posting a .358 on-base percentage in 214 plate appearances. But he'll likely be fighting for the backup center-field job with Travis Jankowski.

Jankowski Projection: Fringe roster candidate

After an impressive 2016 season, it was a lost year for Jankowski, who broke a bone in his foot in the season's opening month. He returned in September, but never seemed himself. If Jankowski uses the offseason to heal fully, he could be a useful bench piece as an elite defender and speed threat. But he'll need to up his .187 batting average from last season (albeit in just 27 games).

Franchy Cordero Projection: Minors

Upon his May callup, Cordero seemed like a revelation. Within a couple weeks, it became clear his swing still has some major holes. Cordero's 44 percent strikeout rate won't fly in the Majors, and he could probably use a bit more Triple-A seasoning.

Jabari Blash Projection: Minors

Blash has yet to truly cash in on the opportunities he's been given in San Diego. His .323 career on-base percentage won't hurt his chances for a roster spot. But barring injury -- and, remember, Dickerson and Jankowski are still question marks -- it's more likely he serves as a Minor League depth option.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Report: Dodgers and Padres Will Play Three- Game Series In Mexico in May

Khadrice Rollins

The Dodgers and Padres will meet in Monterrey, Mexico for a three-game series from May 4-6, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

San Diego will be the home team in the series according to the Times, and it will be the first of six that MLB plans to play in Mexico over the next four seasons.

The Dodgers went 13-6 against the Padres last season. While Los Angeles won 104 games during the regular season before losing in Game 7 of the World Series to end their 2017, San Diego went 71-91 and missed the postseason for the 11th straight season.

MLB is expected to make an announcement about the series Monday.

LOS ANGELES TIMES Dodgers and Padres set for Mexico series in May

Bill Shaikin

The Dodgers are headed to Mexico next season.

The Dodgers and San Diego Padres will play a three-game series May 4-6 in Monterrey, Mexico, according to a person familiar with the matter but not authorized to discuss it publicly. An announcement is expected Monday.

The Padres will be the home team. The series in Monterrey replaces one the Dodgers and Padres had been scheduled to play in San Diego that weekend.

The regular-season series is the first of six that Major League Baseball plans to play in Mexico over the next four seasons, part of a dramatic expansion in international play.

MLB also plans to open the 2019 and 2020 seasons in Asia, and to play a series in the United Kingdom in each of those years.

The Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins are scheduled to play in Puerto Rico in April, with Hiram Bithorn Stadium expected to be repaired after suffering extensive damagefrom Hurricane Maria.

The Dodgers last played internationally in 2014, when they opened the regular season in Australia, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers played a two-game exhibition series in Monterrey in 1991.

The Padres market extensively in nearby Mexico. Their international history includes a 1996 regular-season series in Monterrey against the New York Mets, made famous when dehydrated third baseman Ken Caminiti arose after receiving intravenous fluids, grabbed a Snickers bar and then hit two home runs.

The Dodgers have three prominent players of Mexican heritage on their roster, but it is unclear if any might be on the team when it plays in Monterrey.

First baseman Adrian Gonzalez is under contract for next season, at $22.4 million. However, amid an injury-plagued 2017 season, he lost his job to Cody Bellinger, who is expected to be

21 announced Monday as National League rookie of the year. Gonzalez has said he hopes to play regularly next year, which could require a move to another team.

Gonzalez and outfield prospect Alex Verdugo played for Team Mexico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Verdugo, 21, made his major league debut Sept. 1 and started four consecutive games, then did not start again. He batted .174 in 23 at-bats.

Pitcher Julio Urias underwent shoulder surgery in June. He is not expected to return by the time of the Monterrey series.

Players on the Dodgers and Padres each would receive a $15,000 bonus for the Mexico trip, according to the collective bargaining agreement. Non-playing personnel — primarily managers, coaches, athletic trainers and clubhouse staffers — would share in a $40,000 bonus.

The Pantone 294 fan club is expected to organize a Monterrey trip for Dodgers fans.

FOX SPORTS SAN DIEGO

Padres offseason update: Naylor, Urias contribute

in Fall Stars Game

John Horvath

This past Saturday, the best in the Arizona Fall League joined together to play the league’s annual “Fall Stars” game. The Padres were represented by two of their top 10 prospects (according to MLB.com), 2B/SS Luis Urias and 1B Josh Naylor.

Under the lights at Salt River Fields near Scottsdale, the duo both made contributions for the West team. Not exactly known for his speed, Josh Naylor led off the second inning with a hustle triple and scored the first run of the game for the West. He ended up playing the entire contest, finishing 1-4 with two strikeouts.

Luis Urias started at shortstop and looked incredibly comfortable at the position. The defensive play of the night came in the bottom of the fourth inning, when he dove to his left to start a slick 6-4-3 double play.

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Having only hit three home runs in the entirety of the 2017 season, Urias isn’t exactly a player who you would expect to jump the yard and put on a power display. He even said himself that he’s more of a line drive hitter. However, in the fifth inning, Urias demonstrated that he does have the power to drive the ball over the fence; hitting the only home run of the game for either side.

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Urias was removed from the game in the bottom of the sixth. The East team ended up winning the game 4-2, with Nationals’ top prospect Victor Robles winning the MVP award.

With seven games left in AFL play, the Peoria Javelinas currently have a three game lead in the standings. If they were to hold on, they would appear in the title game on Saturday, November 18.

Luis Urias continues to improve on his sparkling walk-to-strikeout ratio. He has now walked 12 times and has only struck out on three occasions. He leads all of the AFL in OBP and is second in walks; slashing .333/.472/.513 in 13 games (39 at bats).

1B Josh Naylor has played in 17 games for the Javelinas. The 20-year-old has recorded eight extra base hits in that period (71 at-bats) while striking out 12 times.

SS Javier Guerra is hitting .286 (10-35) in nine games played.

RF Franmil Reyes has not played since October 31st as he continues to recover from an injury he sustained from fouling a ball off his leg.

RHP Walker Lockett last started on November 1st. In that start, he allowed seven hits and four earned runs in five innings. His ERA sits at 7.71 as he continues to gain meaningful innings after being out for most of the 2017 season with a back injury.

LHP Jerry Keel started his first AFL game last Thursday, throwing three innings of two-run ball. In that game, he gave up five hits, walked one, and struck out two.

RHP David Bednar continued his strong AFL performance this last week, throwing two more perfect innings. He still only has one blip in the seven innings he has thrown this fall: a home run allowed in his third outing of the season. Besides that, he has not allowed a batter to reach base.

Andres Munoz continues to showcase his special arm. His ERA is now down to 1.35 and his WHIP is at 0.90 in 6 2/3 innings pitched. Part of the 2015 international free agent class and still only 18 years of age, Munoz has the chance to rise quickly through the Padres system.

TJ Weir has struck out five batters in 5 2/3 innings, and has allowed only one run and four hits.

CBS 8 Fifth annual Padres Pedal the Cause held at Petco Park

Kelly Hessedal SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) — For the fifth year in a row, a passionate community fighting against cancer teamed up with the San Diego Padres to raise money for life-saving cancer research.

Padres Pedal the Cause is a two-day cycling event with various degrees of skill levels for participants.

Each year, the event raises money with 100 percent of proceeds going directly toward four major research facilities in San Diego. "Statistics say one out of every two men and one out of three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime," said the event's executive director Annae Marbarger. "It's something that touches everybody." The goal is to ultimately find a cure for cancer. This weekend the event raised $1.8 million - that number is only expected to rise. Since the event started in 2013, it has raised more the $4.7 million.

FRIAR WIRE

Padres On Deck: Franchy Cordero Leads Long List of CF Prospects But club already has center fielder of the future in Margot

Bill Center

The Padres have one of the best young center fielders in the game in 23-year-old Manuel Margot.

They also have prospects at almost every level of the minor league system.

Not a bad problem to have. But it also means that most of the prospects won’t likely play center field for the Padres. Some will move to another position. Some will simply move.

The Padres have almost as many prospects in center field as they have at shortstop without the need.

The top prospect on my center field list actually spent time with the Padres last summer.

Twenty-three year-old Franchy Cordero hit .228 with three homers and nine RBIs in 32 games with the Padres in 2017 as a mid-season injury replacement for Margot. He also spent some time in left.

Cordero spent most of the season with Triple-A El Paso, where he hit .326 with a .369 on-base percentage and a .603 slugging percentage for a .972 OPS for 93 games. The left-handed hitter had 21 doubles, 18 triples and 17 home runs for 64 RBIs and 68 runs scored. He also stole 15 bases.

Despite spending more than a month in the Major Leagues, the swift, 6-foot-3, 175-pound Cordero broke the Padres’ single-season, minor-league record for triples for a second straight season.

Cordero finished the season as the Padres’ 12th-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Double-A San Antonio was the Padres’ lone affiliate without a Major League center field prospect last season.

Michael Gettys spent 2017 with Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore, Buddy Reed was the center fielder at Single-A Fort Wayne, Rod Boykin split time between the two, full-season Single-A affiliates, Tre Carter was the center fielder at Short-Season Single-A Tri-City and Jeisson Rosario played center in the Arizona Rookie League.

Rosario is rated the Padres’ 17th-ranked prospect. Gettys is №21. Gettys, Reed and Carter are all better known for their defense over offense, although Gettys began to develop offensively this season.

— Rosario, 18, is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound left-handed hitter from the Dominican Republic who signed with the Padres as a member of the highly-regarded 2016 international class. He hit .299 in Arizona with 33 walks for a .404 on-base percentage. He also had 10 doubles, a homer and eight steals in 52 games — scoring 31 runs and driving in 24. He finished his first professional season on a hot run and ended with a .773 OPS.

— Gettys, 22, was the Padres second-round pick in 2014 out of Gainesville (Ga.) High. The 6- foot-1, 203-pound right-handed hitter batted .254 with Lake Elsinore in 2017 with a .329 on- base percentage and a .760 OPS. He played 116 games with 22 doubles, four triples and 17 homers for 84 runs scored and 51 RBIs. He also had 22 steals with 46 walks, but struck out 191 times in 457 at-bats.

— Reed, 21, was the Padres’ second-round pick in 2016 out of the University of Florida. He had a slash line of .234/.290/.396 at Fort Wayne for a .685 OPS. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound, switch-hitter is an excellent defender. He had 17 doubles, eight triples, six homers and 12 steals in 88 games for the TinCaps.

— Boykin, 22, was a 12th-round pick in the 2013 draft. The 6-foot-1, right-handed hitter had a .249/.329/.415 line at Fort Wayne and actually performed better at Lake Elsinore where he was .314/.376/.529 for a .905 OPS. He had nine doubles, five triples and six homers for 20 RBIs and 30 runs scored in 43 games at the advanced Single-A league compared to 10 doubles,

27 three triples and six homers for 20 RBIs and 31 runs scored in the lower Midwest League. He stole seven bases at each stop.

— Carter, 20, the Padres’ 11th-round pick in the 2016 draft, also struggled offensively in 2016, batting .230 at Tri-City with six doubles, a Northwest League-leading 11 triples, three homers and 32 RBIs in 68 games. He also stole 16 bases and had a .303 on-base percentage.

Padres On Deck: Teenagers House, Ornelas Top Left Field Prospects But position changes could boost position

Bill Center Corner outfield prospects are an ever-shifting commodity, particularly in left field.

Center field prospects can easily be shifted to left. And many right field prospects can play left.

And with the Padres, the immediate need in left is something of an unknown.

— Jose Pirela became an accomplished hitter (.280, 10 homers, 40 RBIs in 312 at-bats) as well as a defender after he was promoted from Triple-A El Paso on June 6.

— Alex Dickerson, who hit .257 with a .333 on-base percentage with 10 homers and 37 RBIs in 84 games in 2016 before missing the entire 2017 season with a bulging disc that eventually required back surgery, will be returning next spring.

— So will the versatile Travis Jankowski, who missed most of the 2017 season following a foot fracture.

— To these three names, add in Franchy Cordero, the versatile Cory Spangenberg, Jabari Blash, Matt Szczur and Allen Córdoba — all of whom also started games in left in 2017.

Truth is, the Padres do have two top left field prospects in Mason House and Tirso Ornelas. The only immediate problem is that both are teenagers.

— The 19-year-old House was the Padres’ third-round draft pick (78th overall) last June out of Whitehouse High in Tyler, Texas. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound left-handed hitter batted .293 in 39 games in the Arizona Rookie League last summer with six doubles, eight triples, two home runs, 33 RBIs and 28 runs scored. He had a .354 on-base percentage and a .463 slugging percentage for a .817 OPS. He is already ranked the Padres’ №22 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

— Ornelas, 17, was a member of the Padres’ 2016 international signing class. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound left-handed hitter is a native of Tijuana and was ranked the best Mexican prospect in 2016 when he was ranked the №28 international prospect by MLB Pipeline. After a slow start, Ornelas finished the ARL season with a .276 batting average with a .399 on-base percentage (he drew 40 walks) and a .408 slugging percentage for a .807 OPS. He had 11 doubles, three triples, three homers, 26 RBIs and 46 runs scored in 53 Arizona games.

Both House and Ornelas participated in the Padres On Deck games at Petco Park at the end of and Arizona Instructional League in September.

Cordero, Jankowski, Blash and minor league veterans Rafael Ortega and Nick Buss all spent time in left for El Paso last season.

The left fielder at Double-A San Antonio was Nick Torres, a Padres’ top-30 prospect before the club’s 2016 wave of international signings and top draft picks. Torres, 24, was the Padres’ fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft out of Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. He hit .277 with 11 homers and 61 RBIs for the Missions last season in 119 games with a .319 on-base percentage, a .394 slugging percentage and a .713 OPS.