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Padres Press Clips Saturday, June 10, 2017

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Padres surge past Royals, end five-game losing streak UT San Diego Lin 2

Padres option Ryan Schimpf to El Paso UT San Diego Lin 4

Minors Scholtens leads Storm to third straight win UT San Diego Sanders 7

Column Myers works to lead through his own struggles UT San Diego Acee 9

Diaz to make first career start vs. Royals MLB.com Ruiz 12

Pair of pinch-hit blows lift Padres over Royals MLB.com Cassavell/Paris 13

Slider serves Chacin well in impressive outing MLB.com Cassavell 15

Padres On Deck: Gettys tops Padres Prospects of the Week list FriarWire Center 17

Padres On Deck: Nix Allows a Run over 7 IP to Lead A-Lake

Elsinore to Win FriarWire Center 19

Szczur’s pinch homer helps Padres to 6-3 win over Royals Associated Press AP 22

Padres Trade Possibilities NBC San Diego Togerson 24

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Padres surge past Royals, end five-game losing streak

Dennis Lin

Jhoulys Chacin had a budding no-hit bid Friday. Then he didn’t. After another pitch, he no

longer had a lead. Despite a litany of baserunners, the Padres had failed to provide much of a

safety net for their starting pitcher.

After seven innings, Chacin returned to the dugout, where he received kudos for a job well done.

Soon, he was the one applauding.

Batting for Chacin in the bottom of the seventh, Matt Szczur smashed a go-ahead home run to

left-center. In the next inning, Szczur doubled. Franchy Cordero, another pinch-hitter, drilled a

two-run double. A miscommunication by the Kansas City defense resulted in another run.

In a 6-3 victory over the Royals, the Padres followed a mid-game lull with a late-inning outburst,

ending a five-game losing streak.

Chacin did not allow a hit until the top of the fifth, when Salvador Perez launched a two-run,

game-tying homer. The right-hander ensured that would be the only damage against him. He

finished with seven innings, having yielded three hits and two walks. He struck out six.

“My slider was good today,” Chacin said. “I was throwing it for strikes. Throwing my fastball for

strikes also helped me. I was trying to get ahead in the count and use my slider.”

The pitcher also performed at the plate, laying down a sacrifice bunt and lacing a double. The

run that scored on that hit proved critical.

The Padres offense opened the game 7-for-9 with two walks, leading to a quick hook for Kansas

City’s Eric Skoglund. Yet, after two innings, San Diego had only a 2-0 lead to show for it.

Wil Myers, Hunter Renfroe and Austin Hedges had notched two-out singles in the bottom of the

first.

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In the bottom of the second, Cory Spangenberg led off with an infield single, but was caught

stealing. Erick Aybar doubled. Chacin hit his double but, after consecutive walks, was picked off

at third. Myers struck out, stranding a pair.

“We gave two crucial outs away on the basepaths,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “Kept the

game close. Gave them an opportunity to come back and win. We’ve done that way too

frequently, and that’s my responsibility first and foremost, so we’ve got to figure a way to make

better decisions on the basepaths while still being aggressive.”

Over the next four innings, the Padres went 1-for-11. Eric Hosmer led off the fifth with a single.

On the next pitch, Perez tied the score.

San Diego’s bench would untie it.

Szczur crushed his 10th career home run and first as a pinch-hitter.

“(Chacin) made probably one mistake tonight, and Salvador took advantage,” Szczur said. “He

pitched very well tonight, so it was rewarding to pick him up at the end there.”

Up again after an Erick Aybar single, Szczur doubled in the eighth. Cordero followed with his

pinch-hit double. Yangervis Solarte drove in another run on a popup single.

“Matt hasn't had a ton of opportunity lately,” Green said. “He walked three times the start before

last, and this last one, he didn't go great at the plate. So he flushed that pretty quickly, got in

today, took a good swing, and that’s a huge go-ahead home run at that time. And Franchy, we

clearly needed those insurance runs.”

After Brad Hand threw a scoreless inning in relief of Chacin, Ryan Buchter allowed a pair of

singles to open the ninth. Green went to Brandon Maurer. The closer gave up a bases-loading

single and a sacrifice fly before inducing a game-ending double play.

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Padres option Ryan Schimpf to El Paso

Dennis Lin

Seeking to reinforce an overworked bullpen, the Padres recalled right-hander Jose

Valdez from Triple-A El Paso before Friday’s series opener against Kansas City. The

corresponding roster move registered as a moderate surprise.

Third baseman Ryan Schimpf, a lineup staple since he made his major league debut

at 28 last summer, was optioned to El Paso. Though he has provided value this

season, including with a team-high 14 home runs, he was hitting a majors-low .158

while striking out in more than a third of his plate appearances.

“There’s more to him offensively than what we’ve been getting this year, and we want

to try to figure out a way to get that,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “There’s two

choices to that: You continue to run him out there when you’re two-plus months into

the season, or you send him down to the minor leagues and let him get going again.

“To us, it’s not the best choice to put him on the bench and let him pinch-hit

sporadically and see what happens. We did that for a little bit. He worked his way

back into the lineup, had some good at-bats for a while, and it's kind of tailed off

again.”

Schimpf had just eight hits, five of them home runs, in his last 61 at-bats. Over that

span, he drew six walks and struck out 31 times.

The 29-year-old’s extreme all-or-nothing tendencies have been well-documented. In

330 big-league plate appearances last season, he hit .217 but got on base at a 33.6

percent clip and slugged 20 home runs.

In 2017, even as his fly-ball percentage remains the highest in baseball, his rate of

hard contact has dipped from 40 to 27 percent, according to FanGraphs.com. His .145

batting average on balls in play is the majors’ lowest, by more than 50 points.

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“I feel good about his mindset, the way he approaches things, but he was always

tinkering this year, and sometimes, when your at-bats become more sporadic, you

tend to tinker a little bit more,” Green said. “I think more than anything else, for him,

it was going down, getting consistent at-bats to turn the mind off and just turn the

swing back on and get it going in the right direction again.

“He was getting attacked a similar way pretty consistently here, and (pitchers) won't

execute that as well in Triple-A, obviously, but what he needs to do is what he did last

year and what I think he can do going forward this year and what he’s done at times

this year, as well.”

With 46 starts, Schimpf has been the Padres’ primary third baseman this year. Cory

Spangenberg received his 13th start at the position Friday night. Green said Jose

Pirela, who started in left field, could see time at second base, with Yangervis Solarte

moving to third on those days.

Valdez, who was claimed off waivers from the Angels, made his Padres debut May 20,

throwing three scoreless innings. The right-hander was optioned to El Paso two days

later.

Firsthand example About five hours before Friday’s game, right-handers Luis Perdomo and Miguel

Diaz walked out of the home clubhouse at Petco Park, traversed the field and arrived

at the bullpen in left-center. Diaz, a Rule 5 draftee who will make his first major

league start Saturday, watched as Perdomo mimicked his delivery atop the mound.

Then Diaz did the same, holding a towel in his right hand. Later, the two sprinted

alongside each other on the warning track, going from the right-field foul pole to

dead-center.

For Diaz, 22, the 24-year-old Perdomo has been an obvious and willing example. Last

season, Perdomo, a Rule 5 pick himself, went from the bullpen to the rotation, where

he has stuck.

“We were kind of just going over mechanics,” Diaz, who, like Perdomo, jumped from

Single-A, said through an interpreter. “He was giving me the routine of how to be a

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starter. We got our running in together, and then afterwards he was just giving me

advice: Don’t be nervous. Just get my fastball over for strikes.

“He’s been a huge help for me throughout the season. Very grateful to him.”

Diaz, who had been serving as a reliever capable of providing length, was announced

as Saturday’s starter after Jarred Cosart went on the disabled list. After seeing his

ERA reach double digits on May 6, Diaz has allowed three earned runs over his last 9

2/3 innings.

“Being a starter in the past, it’s kind of nice to have that starter’s routine, so I’m very

proud and excited,” Diaz said. “I’m very grateful to the organization, to Andy Green,

to (pitching coach Darren Balsley), for giving me this opportunity and really just for

giving me advice all throughout the way.”

‘Pen work Right-hander Jered Weaver (left hip inflammation) threw a bullpen session Friday

and is nearing a rehab assignment, possibly as soon as next week.

Meanwhile, right-hander Trevor Cahill (right shoulder strain) is approaching his first

bullpen session since he landed on the disabled list last month. No date has been set.

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Minors

Scholtens leads Storm to third straight win Jeff Sanders

Jesse Scholtens is settling in nicely in the California League.

Last year’s ninth-round selection, the 23-year-old right-hander struck out eight over

seven shutout innings in high Single-A Lake Elsinore’s 4-0 win over visiting Rancho

Cucamonga, the third win in a row for the Storm.

Scholtens (2-1, 2.79) scattered two hits and two walks in the quality start, his third in

five starts with Lake Elsinore (31-30). He has struck out 30, walked eight and held

opposing hitters to a .241 average in 29 innings since a promotion from Fort Wayne,

where Scholtens was 1-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 36 2/3 innings.

Right-handers Gerardo Reyes (1.71) and Trevor Frank (2.59) followed with scoreless

frames.

Second baseman Chris Baker (.253) hit his third homer, doubled and drove in three

runs and Josh Naylor (.312) went 2-for-4 with his 37th RBI.

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (30-32)

Chihuahuas 14, Fresno 12: DH Jabari Blash (.248) hit his eighth homer and

drove in four runs, 1B Diego Goris (.277) drove in four runs on two hits,

including a double, and C Rocky Gale (.271) went 2-for-5 with a double and two

RBIs. RHP Zach Lee (6.05) allowed four runs – three earned – in 3 1/3 innings

in the start and RHP Jason Jester (2-0, 9.26) allowed five runs in 2 1/3 innings

despite earning the win. RHP Carter Capps (7.71) walked two in a scoreless

outing.

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DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (33-27)

Midland 3, Missions 2: RHP Charles Nading (0-1, 1.72) allowed two runs – one

earned – in 1/3 innings after RHP Chris Huffman (1.35) struck out eight and

allowed one run on seven hits in seven innings. 1B Fernando Perez (.235) and

RF Franmil Reyes (.285) each had three hits.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (22-39)

TinCaps 5, Lansing 4: RHP Ronald Bolanos (2-1, 5.21) struck out a career-high

nine and allowed two runs in five innings to win his second straight start. RHP

Austin Smith (6.64) allowed a run in two innings and RHP David Bednar (1.98)

saved his seventh game with a scoreless ninth. C Marcus Greene Jr. (.270) hit

his second homer, doubled twice and drove in two runs and 1B Brad Zunica

(.217) and SS Reinaldo Ilarraza (.188) each had two hits.

ROOKIE DSL PADRES (3-3)

Orioles 10, Padres 3: LHP Brayan Rosario (0-1, -.--) allowed two runs without

recording an out after LHP Carlos Valenzuela (5.63) started the game with four

shutout innings. 1B Elvis Sabala (.500), DH Ydie Araujo (.250) and RF Yordi

Francisco (.222) each had two hits. One of Araujo’s was his first homer.

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Column

Myers works to lead through his own struggles Kevin Acee

The first year as face of the franchise isn’t going so well.

And perhaps, with an understanding that fires is what refines, that experiences make

a man, this is how it is supposed to be.

Oh, it really stinks striking out every two or three at-bats and seeing your batting

average drop 65 points in 34 days. It’s enough to make a guy who bops around the

clubhouse and seems to always need someone to chat up in the dugout catch himself

sulking.

But that is possibly the way it must transpire, a part of the evolution of Wil Myers.

“It’s tough to be the leader and keep that same face,” Myers said Thursday before just

his third multi-hit game since May 4. “I haven’t been very good at it. I’m a human

being. I’ve gotten frustrated over these last two weeks. You can’t pretend to have fun

going 0-for-4. Maybe this is a battle I’m going through right now when it comes to

being a leader and keeping that same face in the clubhouse. It’s tough being my first

time to do that, and I haven’t done the best job of doing that so far. I’ve been

consumed with that (struggling). I’m trying to take a step back and see the bigger

picture.”

Myers, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored twice in Thursday’s 15-3 loss at

Arizona, was batting .320 on May 4, with an OPS of .930. That was 30 games into the

season.

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He entered Thursday, 29 games later, with a .255 average and .787 OPS. He had

seven homers, two triples and nine doubles in those first 30 games versus five, zero

and three over his next 29 games.

It happens. It’s happened to Myers.

Myers played in his first All-Star Game last July sporting a .286 average with 19 home

runs and 60 RBI (and an .873 OPS). In the second game following the break, he

began a 48-game stretch in which he hit .192 with four homers and 16 RBI (with a

.575 OPS).

This slump is significant in its own way, though, because it has come in the first

portion of the first season after he signed a six-year, $83 million contract and

earnestly assumed the mantle of team leader. His contract and his accomplishments

(2013 American League Rookie of the Year with the Tampa Bay Rays and last year’s

All-Star nod) supported the team’s intentions that he step up on the field and in the

clubhouse.

“It’s not fun,” he said. “I had a great spring training, I had a great April, and my May

has been really tough. But it’s not like I’ve never been here. I’ve definitely struggled

on multiple occasions. This isn’t the worst I’ve struggled. They all feel the same,

because you always feel like it’s the worst you’ve ever been. And it’s never the worst

you’ve ever been.”

Even as the 26-year-old Myers has tried to lean on that knowledge, he has struggled

at times to maintain the happy-go-lucky demeanor that is essentially his wellspring.

“You strike out for the second time in a game,” he said, “You’re walking back in the

dugout, sitting on the bench, and all you’re doing is sitting on the bench, as opposed

to cheering on Hunter Renfroe and whoever else.”

Such is Myers’ desire to set a tone, to be the example to the young eyes he knows are

on him, that he has acknowledged it and worked to be himself — the guy who

constantly reminds teammates and anyone else who will listen that “We get to play a

game as our job.”

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So he adjusts to playing for more than himself.

“You learn to take yourself out of the situation, pull back and look at it from a bigger

perspective,” he said. “You look in this clubhouse and see these young guys and know

in a couple years we are going to be where we want to be. We’re not going to be this

team that does struggle like we are right now because we’re really young.”

He does it by just continuing to play with a smile on his face and a bounce in his step.

That’s the only way he knows how to be a leader. And it’s really the only way to be a

leader.

“You just have to go out there and keep showing up and keep playing,” he said.

“Because that’s how you get out of it. It’s all about how hard you can get kicked in the

teeth and get back up.”

There really might be no better way and no better person to be the leader of this

young team.

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Diaz to make first career start vs. Royals

By Nathan Ruiz / MLB.com

A familiar face will return to Petco Park on Saturday.

Right-hander Ian Kennedy, who played with San Diego from 2013-15, will start for the Royals in

the second game of the team's series against the Padres. Kennedy, who was born in

Huntington Beach, Calif., said he'll have plenty of family in attendance.

"It's always nice to come here as a visitor, and when you played here, you felt like you were on

vacation," Kennedy said. "Walking around the city today it was nice. You miss the weather a

little bit."

Kennedy is looking for his first win; he's 0-6 in 10 starts, posting his highest BB/9 since 2009. He

signed a five-year, $70 million contract with Kansas City after the 2015 season. Kennedy, who

has also played for the D-backs and Yankees, is 7-2 with a 3.05 ERA in his career against the

Padres

Things to know about this game

• Padres right-hander Miguel Diaz will make his first career start Saturday. The rookie has a

7.50 ERA in 21 relief appearances, but has a 2.79 mark since May 6. A Rule 5 Draft selection,

Diaz posted a 3.71 ERA working primarily as a starter for the Brewers' Class A team last

season.

• Saturday marks the eight-year anniversary of the Royals drafting Wil Myers in the third round

of the 2009 MLB Draft. Myers, now the Padres' first baseman, was in Kansas City's system

through the 2012 season, when an offseason trade sent him to Tampa Bay. Then considered

the Royals' top prospect, Myers hit 37 home runs with 109 RBIs in 2012, earning Baseball

America's Minor League Player of the Year award.

• The Padres' 6-3 victory Friday marked the first game in which they did not allow three or more

runs in at least one inning since their 2-1 victory against the Cubs on May 31.

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Pair of pinch-hit blows lift Padres over

Royals

By AJ Cassavell and Jay Paris / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres called on Matt Szczur and Franchy Cordero in a pinch on Friday night.

They delivered in a big way.

Szczur launched a go-ahead blast to lead off the seventh inning, and Cordero smacked a two-run

insurance double in the eighth, sending the Padres to a 6-3 victory over the Royals and snapping

their five-game skid.

The pinch-hit heroics made a winner out of Jhoulys Chacin, who was excellent at Petco Park once

again. He allowed just three hits over seven innings -- only one of them a true mistake. Royals

catcher Salvador Perez crushed a Chacin fastball for a two-run shot in the fifth. Otherwise, the

Padres right-hander merely allowed a pair of seeing-eye singles to Eric Hosmer and Mike

Moustakas.

"He's been pitching really great lately, especially at home," said Szczur. "He made probably one

mistake tonight and Salvador took advantage. He pitched very well tonight, so it was rewarding to

pick him up at the end there."

• Chacin has slider working in impressive outing

Kansas City starter Eric Skoglund was roughed up early and exited with one out in the second,

forcing four Royals relievers to eat 6 2/3 innings.

"[My pitches] were in the middle, they were able to square some balls up and that was about it,''

Skoglund said. "I wasn't getting ahead and that's the bread and butter right there. If you don't get

ahead, you are going to get hit."

• Skoglund frustrated by abbreviated outing

Skoglund faced 11 hitters and allowed nine of them to reach base. But he limited the Padres to only

two runs -- thanks to a timely double play, some baserunning blunders and a second-inning escape

act by reliever Scott Alexander. The Royals bullpen was sharp through the sixth, until left-

hander Matt Strahm grooved a fastball to Szczur, who turned it into his first career pinch-hit homer.

The Padres tacked on three in the eighth off Chris Young.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Catchers who rake: The Padres out-hit Kansas City, 8-0, in the first four innings, and scored two

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runs. That lead vanished quickly in the fifth after Hosmer opened the frame with a single through the

right side. Perez crushed the next pitch into the left-field seats for his 94th career dinger -- the most

ever by a Royals backstop. It was also Perez's 12th home run of the season, breaking a tie with San

Diego's Austin Hedges for the most by a catcher.

"I didn't even know until someone told me,'' Perez said. "But our team didn't win tonight so that is

something you never forget.''

Insurance from Franchy: Cordero has raked against right-handed pitching since his callup two

weeks ago. His rocket double against Young gave the Padres a 5-2 lead -- and those insurance

runs proved pivotal, as the Royals scored in the ninth after loading the bases. Since his callup two

weeks ago, Cordero is batting .379 (11-for-29) with four extra-base hits against right-handed

pitching.

"We clearly needed those insurance runs," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Franchy has swung

it great, and he'll be out there tomorrow. It was a big hit for us."

SILVER SLUGGER CHACIN?

Chacin plated the Padres' second run after lining a double into the right-field corner. His seven hits

this season are second among all pitchers, behind only the Mets' Jacob deGrom. He also tacked on

a sacrifice bunt and finished the night with a .333 average. It's early, but he could be a serious

contender for the Silver Slugger Award, given to the best hitter at each position.

Said Chacin of his second-inning double: "I saw Hosmer, he was coming in like I was going to bunt. I

said, 'I'm not bunting here.' I looked for a fastball, and I got it and got lucky enough."

WHAT'S NEXT

Royals: Ian Kennedy (0-6) seeks his first victory of the season when he faces his former team in San

Diego on Saturday at 3:10 p.m. CT. Kennedy, who is 5-15 in Interleague play, has a 7-2 career mark

against the Padres with a 3.05 ERA.

Padres: Rookie Rule 5 Draft pick Miguel Diaz makes his first career start Saturday, in the middle

game against the Royals. After a rough start to his big league career, Diaz has posted a 2.79 ERA in

the bullpen over the last month. First pitch is slated for 1:10 p.m. PT.

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Slider serves Chacin well in impressive

outing

Padres righty allows two runs on three hits in seven-

inning start

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- The record will show that Jhoulys Chacin threw 39 sliders in Friday night's 6-3

victory over the Royals at Petco Park.

In truth, the Padres right-hander didn't throw 39 of the same pitch. When Chacin's slider is

working -- and it was working for seven innings Friday -- he can use it in different ways.

Take his first-inning battle with Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain, in which he fell behind in the

count, 3-1. Chacin dropped a looping breaking ball onto the outside corner at the knees for a

called strike two. Then, after a couple of foul balls, he punctuated the at-bat with a tight, late-

breaking slide piece. Cain didn't stand much of a chance.

"I'll throw one slider slower, knowing I can throw that more for a strike," Chacin said. "But then

when I've got two strikes, I can come back with a hard one."

Chacin was excellent again at Petco Park on Friday night, where he's posted a 1.58 ERA in six

starts this season. Once again, his success was largely due to his mastery of the slider, which

he threw in just about any count.

Chacin allowed two runs on three hits over seven innings -- an impressive line, no doubt, but

one that might not do him justice. He made one true mistake pitch on the night, a fifth-inning

sinker that Salvador Perez deposited in the left-field seats for a two-run homer. Otherwise,

Chacin allowed a pair of seeing-eye singles and little else, keeping the Royals off-balance until

he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

"He located his slider well," said Padres manager Andy Green. "He pitched the outer portion of

the plate with it, came in on some guys. ... For the most part, his command was better today.

Still probably sprayed some fastballs every now and again. But he threw the ball well."

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On the season, Chacin has recorded 61 swings-and-misses against his slider, tying him for

seventh in the Majors. (He's behind perennial Cy Young contenders like Clayton Kershaw, Max

Scherzer, Zack Greinke and Chris Archer.)

After the Royals went 0-for-9 in at-bats that finished with a slider, opponents are now hitting .162

against the pitch this season. Chacin has clearly developed a rhythm with it.

Next up: Figuring out how to mitigate his confounding home-road splits. Chacin owns a 10.27

ERA away from Petco Park this year.

"I don't want to think about, but I need to have the same mindset when I pitch away," Chacin

said. "It had never been a problem for me when I pitch away. This year, it's been crazy how the

home-away splits are. I have a lot of season left, so I know I'm going to make adjustments and

do better on the road."

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Padres On Deck: Gettys tops Padres

Prospects of the Week list By Bill Center

California League Player of the Week Michael Gettys leads this week’s Padres’ honor roll of the hottest prospect on each team in the minor league system.

The 21-year-old center fielder at Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore is joined by infielder-outfielder Jose Pirela (Triple-A El Paso), shortstop Jose Rondon(Double-A San Antonio) and first baseman G.K. Young (Single-A Fort Wayne).

Gettys (№11) and Rondon (№22) are ranked among the Padres’ top-30 prospects by MLB Pipeline. Pirela and Gettys are being recognized for the second time this season.

A look at the four Players of the Week:

Triple-A El Paso — Infielder-Outfielder Jose Pirela:

The versatile Pirela, 27, was 13-for-28 (.464) last week with three homers and 12 RBIs. He had five multi-hit games and drew two walks for a .500 on-base percentage. Pirela has hit safely in seven of his last 10 games, going 15-for-38 with four homers and 15 RBIs. Pirela has 13 homers on the season and ranks fifth in the Pacific Coast League in RBIs (41) and 10th in batting average (.335).

Double-A San Antonio — Shortstop-second baseman Jose Rondon:

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Rondon, 23, was 11-for-26 (.423) last week with five doubles, four walks, two RBIs and five runs scored. He had a .500 on-base percentage with a .615 slugging percentage for a 1.115 OPS for the week. Over his last 10 games, Rondon has gone 19-for-41 (.463) with five walks (.522 on-base percentage) to raise his batting average from .246 to .284. Rondon has a .339 on-base percentage for the season.

Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore — Center fielder Michael Gettys:

Gettys, 21, was 11-for-23 (.478) for the week with three doubles, four home runs, seven RBIs, six runs scored, a steal and four walks. He had a .556 on-base percentage for the week with a 1.130 slugging percentage with a 1.686 OPS. He raised his batting average from .251 to .276 during the week. Three of his homers were hit in a single game last Friday. Over his last nine games, Gettys is 16-for-33 (.485).

Single-A Fort Wayne — First baseman G.K. Young:

The 31st-round pick in last June’s draft, Young, 22, was 6-for-21 last week with three homers and nine RBIs and drove in runs in six straight games. Over the last nine games, Young has gone 11-for-31 (.355). The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder has also played two games at third base this season and pitched in four games — for the first time since high school — as a mop-up reliever.

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Padres On Deck: Nix Allows a Run

over 7 IP to Lead A-Lake Elsinore

to Win

Moreno, Giron key Storm offense in 3–1 win

By Bill Center

Right-hander Jacob Nix allowed one run on six hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings Thursday night to lead Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore to a 3–1 win over Rancho Cucamonga at The Diamond.

Nix, 21, the Padres fifth-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, lowered his earned run average to 3.00 in his third start since coming off the disabled list with a groin injury.

Right fielder Edwin Moreno(.257) was 3-for-4 with a tie-breaking, two-run triple as Lake Elsinore reached .500 at 30–30. Third baseman Ruddy Giron(.233) was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Second baseman Chris Baker (.247) was 1-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. Left fielder Taylor Kohlwey (.224) was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Shortstop Javier Guerra (.214) was 1-for-3.

Left-hander Jose Castillo (1–1, 3.58 ERA) followed Nix and issued a walk with two strikeouts in an otherwise perfect inning to get the win. Right-hander Jose Ruiz (5.40) struck out one in a perfect inning to get his second save.

There were a pair of moves in the Padres organization Thursday. Infielder-outfielder Nate Easley was transferred from Lake Elsinore to

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Single-A Fort Wayne. Seventeen-year-old Eguy Rosario, who was the youngest player in the Midwest League, was transferred from Fort Wayne to extended spring training.

Around the Farm:

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (29–32) — Chihuahuas 5, ALBUQUERQUE 4: Starting RHP Bryan Rodriguez (4.94 ERA) allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk with a strikeout in six innings. LHP Keith Hessler (2–1, 4.39) allowed a run on two hits with two strikeouts in two innings to get the win. RHP Phil Maton(2.84) allowed a hit with a strikeout in a scoreless inning to get his 13th save. 3B Christian Villanueva (.307) homered in three at-bats with a walk. LF Nick Buss (.363) was 2-for-4 with a run scored. C Rocky Gale (.266) was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. 1B Diego Goris (.273) had a two-run double in four at-bats. 2B River Stevens (.500) was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (33–26) — Midland 6, MISSIONS 5: LHP Christian Friedrich made his first start of a rehab assignment and allowed five runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. RHP T.J. Weir issued a walk with two strikeouts in an otherwise perfect 1 2/3 innings. LHP Jerry Keel (1–2, 1.02 ERA) allowed one run on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings to suffer the loss. SS Jose Rondon (.304) was 2-for-4 with a run scored. 3B Ty France (.378) was 2-for-5 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. DH Alberth Martinez (.274) had a double in two at-bats with a RBI and a walk. 1B Fernando Perez (.222) was 1-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. LF Nick Torres (.236) and C Stephen McGee (.276) were each 1-for-4 with a run scored.

SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (21–39) — TIN CAPS 7, Lake County 3: RF Jorge Ona (.317) was 2-for-3 with a RBI, a run scored, a stolen base and a hit-by-pitch. DH Marcus Greene Jr. (.256) was 1-for-3 with a double, a RBI, two runs scored and a hit-by-pitch. C A.J. Kennedy (.200) was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and three RBIs. LF Rod Boykin (.214) was 1-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.

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CF Buddy Reed was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Starting RHP Hansel Rodriguez (2–6, 5.62 ERA) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in five innings to get the win. RHP Jim McDade (2.92) struck out five in four perfect innings to record his first save.

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (3–2) — Padres 6, ORIOLES 0: Starting RHP Moises Lugo allowed four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts over five scoreless innings to get the win. SS Bryan Torres (.444) was 3-for-5 with a double and a RBI. C Gilberto Vizcarra (.278) was 2-for-5 with a run scored. RF Yordi Francisco (.167) was 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

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Szczur's pinch homer helps Padres to 6-3 win over Royals Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- Pinch-hitter Matt Szczur's home run couldn't have come at a better time for Jhoulys Chacin and the San Diego Padres. Szczur hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning while batting for Chacin and the Padres beat the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Friday night to snap a five-game losing streak. Chacin (5-5), who improved to 3-1 this season at Petco Park, had given up a tying, two-run homer to Salvador Perez in the fifth. "It was definitely awesome," Szczur said. "He's been pitching really great lately, especially at home. He made probably one mistake tonight, and Salvador took advantage of it. He pitched very well tonight. It was rewarding to pick him up at the end there.

"It was pretty cool. I've been grinding lately, so it definitely picks me up, picks the team up," Szczur said.

Szczur said bench players "are more loose than guys think we are. We're in there every other inning, we're in the gym just to stay loose so when we have that opportunity we can take advantage of it."

Szczur's second homer came off rookie lefty Matt Strahm (1-3) and gave San Diego a 3-2 lead. "That was big, especially with the mistake I made," Chacin said. "I wasn't thinking if I win the game, I wanted us to win the game. I was happy that we could win the game."

Szczur went 0 for 3 the day before.

"Matt hasn't had a ton of opportunity lately," manager Andy Green said "He flushed that pretty quickly, got in there today, took a good swing and that's a huge go-ahead home run." Rookie Franchy Cordero had a pinch-hit -run double in the eighth off reliever Chris Young, a former Padres starter, and Yangervis Solarte followed with an RBI single. Chacin allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings, struck out two and walked two. Brandon

Maurer came on with runners on first and second and no outs in the ninth and gave up Mike

Moustakas' sacrifice fly before getting Alcides Escobar to hit into a double play to earn his 10th save. Royals starter Eric Skoglund lasted only 1 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. Chacin held the Royals hitless until Eric Hosmer singled to right leading off the fifth. Perez followed with a homer into the second deck in left. It was his 94th as a catcher, breaking Mike Macfarlane's club record. Overall, Perez has 99 homers, including 12 this year.

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"I didn't even know. Somebody told me," Perez said. "It feels pretty good for me, something which I'll never forget."

Perez also hit a two-run homer in the All-Star Game at Petco Park on July 12. Hosmer homered in that game as well and was named MVP.

Chacin helped his cause when he doubled in Erick Aybar in the second to make it 2-0. Aybar was aboard on a double off Skoglund. Chacin advanced to third and was picked off. Austin Hedges hit an RBI single in the first. "They were just on him," Royals manager Ned Yost said about Skoglund. "They were just having good swings on him."

Skoglund said he was leaving too many pitches over the middle of the plate "and they were able to barrel the balls up and that was about it. I wasn't getting ahead. That's the bread and butter right there, so if you don't get ahead you're going to get hit and that's what happened."

Before the game, the Padres optioned third baseman Ryan Schimpf to Triple-A El Paso and recalled right-hander Jose Valdez. Schimpf was hitting just .158 but had a team-high 14 homers among his 26 hits. TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: RHP Jered Weaver, on the disabled list with an inflamed left hip, threw a bullpen session. Manager Andy Green said the team will decide Saturday whether Weaver will throw another bullpen session or go on a rehab assignment. UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (0-6, 5.33) is winless in his last 14 starts since his last win on Sept. 11. He pitched for San Diego from 2013-16. Padres: Rookie RHP Miguel Diaz (1-1, 7.50) is scheduled to make his first career start. He's made 21 relief appearances.

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Padres Trade Possibilities A roster breakdown of all the guys who will and won't be traded by July

By Derek Togerson

We have reached that time of the year again. The Major League Baseball trade deadline is not

until July 31 but it’s right about now when teams start seriously talking about making a deal.

Most organizations know at this point whether or not they are true contenders and if so what

they need to either stay in the pennant race or separate themselves from the pack. The Padres

are not in that boat so they figure to be open for business.

But who is most likely to be dealt? Let’s look at the roster and take an educated guess on who

the Friars are definitely going to keep and who is probably headed out of town. For this we’re

going with only the guys on the active roster, PLUS a couple of pitchers who, if they come off

the disabled list soon, might be trade bait.

Brad Hand, Relief Pitcher Despite his rough outing in Arizona (and what pitcher has NOT had a rough outing against the

Diamondbacks in that ballpark this year) Hand has turned in to one of the best left-handed

relievers in baseball. He has the ability to work anywhere from the 4th inning to the 9th inning

and could probably even get you a spot start if absolutely necessary. Now that he’s perfected

the slider he’s a strikeout machine, whiffing 43 hitters in 33.0 innings this year. Other teams

are going to want the 27-year-old for his effectiveness and his contract situation. Hand is not

eligible for free agency until 2020, making him infinitely attractive to contenders. However,

that also makes him attractive to the Padres so if he moves it will have to be at a huge asking

price. My guess is somebody like the Nationals, who are in dire need of bullpen help, will

ante up to pry Hand out of San Diego (but no, Trea Turner and Joe Ross are not coming back

so don’t even ask).

Trade Probability: 90%

Yangervis Solarte, Infielder This one would hurt a lot. Solarte is one of the most likeable guys in the clubhouse. Yangervis

went through a wicked 2-week slump in May but has turned it on of late with 18 hits in 15

games. Plus he can play three infield positions and provide a switch-hitting bat off the bench.

He’s not great at any one thing but he’s really good at everything so any contender looking for

a reliable veteran will be calling about Solarte. The thing that might keep him in San Diego is

his leadership ability. Plenty of the Padres’ young Latino players look to for Yangervis for

guidance. Plus he has a team-friendly contract that the Friars could certainly stomach for the

next few years to help raise the youngsters.

Trade Probability: 65%

Trevor Cahill and Jered Weaver, Starting Pitchers

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Cahill has resumed throwing after going on the disabled list in mid-May with a shoulder

ailment. If he is able to come back and make a couple of effective starts before the deadline,

say anything on par with what he did before going on the shelf (3.27 ERA, 51 K in 41.1 IP)

then someone needing a 4th or 5th starter will come after the Vista High School alum. I threw

Weaver on here because he’s also a starter who could come off the DL in the next month or so

but he is not in the same situation as Cahill. Nobody is going to inquire about him but as

we’ve seen with A.J. Preller in the past he might make another team take the velocity-

challenged starter in a trade for someone else.

Trade Probability: Cahill 50%, Weaver 5%

Jhoulys Chacin, Starting Pitcher This is one of the strangest seasons for a veteran starting pitcher that I have seen in a while. At

home Chacin is pitching to a 1.36 ERA with a 0.85 WHIP in 33.0 innings. On the road he’s

sporting a truly horrific 10.27 ERA with a 2.12 WHIP in 30.2 innings. But he’s struck out 28

at home and 28 on the road. The stuff is there but for some reason it’s not working away from

Petco Park. There is the possibility that, if he can look like even a serviceable starter in a start

or two away from the East Village, a contender desperate for help in the rotation will take a

flier on Chacin for a mid-level prospect.

Trade Probability: 35%

Clayton Richard, Starting Pitcher Richard’s journey back from baseball purgatory is inspiring. After undergoing surgery to

relieve thoracic outlet syndrome (including having a rib removed) Richard has put up a few

stinkers but also thrown a couple of gems this year and he’s doing the thing he’s always been

able to do: eat innings. Richard is also well-respected around the game for his demeanor and

clubhouse presence. A team looking to fill out the back end of its rotation could look at

Richard as an option.

Trade Probability: 25%

Ryan Buchter, Craig Stammen, Brandon Maurer and Kirby Yates, Relief Pitchers You’ll see a pattern forming here. Most of the guys available are pitchers. It’s no coincidence

that these are also the spots that most teams will be interested in. All three of these guys have

had stretches where they were dominant and all three have at times struggled in a big way.

But they’ve all shown the ability to handle late-inning situations and that might make them

attractive trade chips. The issue with moving them will be the quality of other relievers on the

market. If teams like the Royals and Pirates start dismantling then there will be better options

for contenders to go after. If any of these guys are moved it will be in smaller deals to fill out

other bullpens or serve as emergency backfills for injuries.

Trade Probability: 25%

Erick Aybar, Shortstop The Padres would probably love to move Aybar, who is basically just filling space at SS right

now. Problem is the veteran is 33 years old with a .274 OBP and limited range in the infield

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so if he is shipped off it would have to be a situation similar to Weaver where the Friars make

another team take him off their hands in a deal for someone they actually want like Hand.

Trade Probability: 3%

Ryan Schimpf, Cory Spangenberg, Matt Szczur and Chase d’Arnaud,

Infielders/Outfielders Schimpf is likely the most desirable as a late-inning left-handed bat off the bench since he can

change a game with one swing (like the modern-day Matt Stairs) but his strikeout rate is off

the charts so a team acquiring him will not do it to fill a hole in the starting lineup.

Spangenberg, Szczur and d’Arnaud are both good late-inning defensive options but not going

to give you much at the plate. Any deals involving these guys would be for purely “we’ve had

too many injuries and are jumping up and down on the panic button” purposes.

Trade Probability: 2%

Jose Pirela, Luis Perdomo and Kevin Quackenbush, Utility Man, Starting Pitcher and

Relief Pitcher There is not going to be a market that develops for any of these guys. Maybe in a few years

Perdomo will draw interest but he’s only 24 years old and not there yet.

Trade Probability: 0.5%

Allen Cordoba, Franchy Cordero, Jose Torres, Miguel Diaz, Luis Torrens and Dinelson

Lamet, The Rookies These guys are good and young and tremendously unproven. Cordoba, Diaz and Torrens have

shown enough at Rule 5 draftees to stick for the duration of the season. Cordero has all kinds

of athletic ability in the outfield and Torres and Lamet both have good stuff they’re still

learning how to use. But all of these guys are the prospects San Diego would have to include

in a deal with another team because they are adding veteran pieces for the stretch run, not the

other way around.

Trade Probability: 0.25%

Wil Myers, Austin Hedges, Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot, The Untouchables Don’t even ask. The Padres gave Myers the largest contract in franchise history so they could

build around him. Preller knows the public relations fallout of dealing the face of the franchise

right now. Hedges is going to be an All-Star behind the plate, Renfroe is going to be a

consistent 30-HR threat and Margot is going to win multiple Gold Gloves if he can stay

healthy. These guys aren’t going anywhere.

Trade Probability: There’s a better chance of the Dodgers trading Clayton Kershaw to the

Giants for a bucket of baseballs and an otter ... so -10%