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Padres Press Clips Sunday, July 3, 2016

Article Source Author Page

Rise, Up: Padres walk off on Yanks MLB.com Cassavell/Hoch 3

Sweep-seeking Padres turn to Cashner vs. Yankees MLB.com Collazo 5

Pomeranz adds final line to All-Star resume MLB.com Collazo 7

Upton belts Padres-record 3rd walk-off homer MLB.com Cassavell 9

Huffman's strong start paces Lake Elsinore Padres.com Center 11

Maurer hoping to join pantheon of Padres closers MLB.com Bloom 14

Upton's walk-off homer gives Padres 2-1 win against Yankees Associated Press AP 17

Padres walk off with win in 81st game UT San Diego Sanders 19

Best tools from Padres' 2016 draft class UT San Diego Sanders 22

Q&A: Padres left-hander Christian Friedrich UT San Diego Sanders 25

Padres look for series sweep of Yankees Sunday STATS, LLC STATS, LLC 28

Yankees-Padres preview STATS, LLC STATS, LLC 30

Upton Walks Off The Yankees NBC San Diego Togerson 32

Pregame: Myers' wrist 'not an issue' for derby UT San Diego Sanders 33

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Rise, Up: Padres walk off on Yanks By AJ Cassavell and Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 2:23 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- Melvin Upton Jr. turned on the first pitch he saw from Yankees relieverAndrew Miller,

and walked off straight into the Padres' record books on Saturday night.

The veteran left fielder led off the bottom of the ninth with his third game-ending homer of the season,

propelling the Padres to a thrilling 2-1 victory at Petco Park. Upton, who also beat the D-backs and the

Dodgers with walk-off shots, became the first player in Padres history to record three walk-off home runs

in the same year.

"I've seen him a lot in the past, so I had a pretty good feel for him," Upton said of facing Miller, whose

fastball simply tailed too far over the inner third of the plate. "I just got something I could handle."

Until Saturday, Toronto's Josh Donaldson was the last big leaguer with three game-ending dingers in a

season, doing so in 2015. Upton -- who has ended a game with a home run seven times in his career --

also tied Bruce Bochy, Bip Roberts and Scott Hairston as the Padres' all-time leaders in walk-off blasts,

with three.

San Diego ace Drew Pomeranz set the stage for Upton with yet another solid start, striking out seven and

allowing just one run over seven frames. In half of Pomeranz's 16 starts this season, he's allowed one run

or fewer.

Meanwhile, Yankees starter Ivan Nova was equally sharp over his 5 1/3 frames. He allowed a run on four

hits, while striking out seven -- one shy of his season high.

"We're not playing the way we're supposed to play, but it's a long season," Nova said. "We've got to stay

together and keep at it, and try to forget what happened in the past and just look forward to the second

half and win more games."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Hey now, you're an All-Star? Rollie Fingers, who pitched in the 1978 Midsummer Classic, is the only

Padres pitcher in history to represent his team in a hometown All-Star Game. In his final start before

rosters are unveiled Tuesday night, Pomeranz made a case to become the second. With his seven strong

frames, the 28-year-old southpaw sits eighth in the National League with a 2.65 ERA, and third with a

.191 batting average against.

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"There's an unbelievable crop of starting pitchers in the National League," said Padres skipper Andy

Green. "But you look at his hard-hit rate, you look at his punch-rate, you look at his ERA, strikeouts --

everything lines up with top-of-the-rotation guys. He's pitched like an ace."

It's not Miller's time: Miller said he felt out of sorts, even in the eighth inning, as he issued a

leadoff walk to Travis Jankowski and had to battle to keep San Diego off the board. Beginning

the ninth, he was trying to go low and away with the decisive fastball to Upton, but didn't locate

the pitch. It was the fifth home run that Miller has permitted in 35 2/3 innings this season.

"I just wasn't very good," Miller said. "It's not where I wanted to throw that ball, and I paid for it,

unfortunately. It would've been nice to get [my teammates] some more at-bats. I just didn't do

my job."

Check that: The Padres tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when Matt Kemp's check

swing turned into an RBI double. Kemp tried to hold up on a Dellin Betances fastball about a foot

out of the strike zone. But the ball hit his bat anyway, and ricocheted into the right-field corner,

scoring Wil Myers.

Refsnyder's strong throw: Refsnyder has been a hitter without a position for much of his brief big league career, but he came up firing with a one-hop seed from right field in the sixth inning to keep the game tied at 1. Charging Upton's single, Refsnyder delivered the ball just in time for catcher Austin Romine to apply a swipe tag on Kemp, who was attempting to score from second base. Drafted as an outfielder, Refsnyder has also seen time at second base and third base this season. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW • The Yankees successfully challenged a call at first base in the top of the fifth inning, as Romine was initially ruled out on a two-out grounder to third baseman Yangervis Solarte. A review of four minutes and 20 seconds overturned the call, with Romine ruled safe. Nova struck out to end the inning. • New York successfully challenged a second call in the bottom of the sixth, as Jankowski was initially ruled safe on a double to left fielder Gardner. A review of two minutes and 34 seconds determined that second baseman Castro's tag was applied before Jankowski reached the bag.

• Later in the sixth, the Yankees had a third challenge go their way -- this time initiated by

Green. After Refsnyder's perfect throw nailed Kemp at the plate, Green requested replay,

hopeful that Kemp's hand touched the plate before Romine's tag, or that Romine had illegally

blocked the plate. But after review, the call was allowed to stand.

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WHAT'S NEXT

Yankees: Right-hander Chad Green will return to make his second Major League start (third

appearance) on Sunday as the Yankees conclude their three-game Interleague series with the

Padres. Green took the loss in his debut, on May 14 at Arizona, allowing six runs (four earned)

over four innings. He was 6-6 with an International League-leading 1.54 ERA at Triple-A

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, ranking second in the circuit with a 0.98 WHIP.

Padres: Andrew Cashner makes his return from a strained neck on Sunday afternoon for the

finale against the Yankees. First pitch is set for 1:40 p.m. PT. Cashner tossed three scoreless

frames in a rehab start Tuesday for Lake Elsinore, and he will not be on a specific pitch count --

though the Padres will be keeping a close eye on his workload.

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Sweep-seeking Padres turn to Cashner

vs. Yankees By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com | 1:50 AM ET

Andrew Cashner, making his first start since landing on the disabled list with a strained neck June 11, will

try to lead the Padres to a sweep in Sunday's finale against the Yankees, who look to Chad Green in his

second Major League start.

Cashner has struggled in 2016, posting a 4.75 ERA through 11 starts while relying more heavily on his

fastball than he did last season. The 29-year-old threw just five pitches in his June 10 start against the

Rockies before exiting with the neck injury. He'll look to start turning his season around against New

York.

Cashner has faced the Yankees just once in his career. In 2013, he threw seven innings against them,

allowing two earned runs while helping the Padres to an 8-5 victory.

Green was called up from Triple-A to make this spot start, and he'll try to translate his Minor League

success to Petco Park. The 25-year-old righty has thrived in 81 2/3 innings with Triple-A Scranton, with

82 strikeouts to 19 walks (4.32 K/BB ratio) and a 1.54 ERA.

In his first Major League start, Green lasted just four innings after giving up eight hits and four earned

runs to the D-backs on May 16.

Things to know about this game

• While Brandon Maurer has been getting much of the attention that comes with being the Padres' new

closer, lefty reliever Ryan Buchter is quietly having an excellent season, posting a 2.83 ERA with a 13.37

K/9 rate.

• In 20 combined plate appearances throughout their careers, Yankees middle infielders Didi Gregorgius

and Starlin Castro have hit .300 against Cashner -- both are 3-for-10 against him.

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• New York has been significantly worse on the road than at home this season. Through July 1, the

Yankees have a .561 winning percentage (23-18) at home compared to a .421 winning percentage (16-22)

on the road.

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Pomeranz adds final line to All-Star

resume By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com | 2:12 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- In Drew Pomeranz' final start before All-Star rosters are announced on Tuesday, the

breakout southpaw left one last argument for his inclusion on the National League team, helping the

Padres earn a 2-1 victory over the Yankees on Saturday night -- with some help from Melvin Upton Jr.'s

walk-off homer, of course.

Pomeranz threw seven innings and allowed just one run while scattering five hits and striking out seven.

Now, the decision on his All-Star fate is out of his hands.

"I don't really know how all that stuff works anyway," Pomeranz said of the All-Star process. "So

whatever happens, happens. Obviously [I want to be on the team]. Who doesn't? Everyone cares about

that."

The case Pomeranz has built is solid, but amid a strong group of National League starters, nothing is

certain. The 27-year-old former first-round pick has posted a 2.65 ERA (8th in NL), 1.09 WHIP (T-13th)

and .191 opposing batting average (3rd), while striking out 109 batters (9th).

He has thrown six or more innings in 10 of his 16 starts and seven innings in four of his last eight. His

10.43 K/9 is the eighth-best mark in the Majors.

Padres manager Andy Green supplemented his No. 1 starter's All-Star campaign after the game.

"You look at his hard-hit rate, you look at his punch-rate, you look at his ERA, strikeouts -- everything

lines up with top-of-the-rotation guys," Green said. "He's pitched like an ace."

Regardless of what happens on Tuesday, though, Pomeranz and the Padres will take solace in the progress

that they have seen this season, and the strides he is poised to continue taking.

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"Everything worked good," Pomeranz said. "Fastball, cutter, curveball -- everything's kind of coming

together now. I feel like I have four solid pitches that I've used these last two times out. I've been pretty

efficient; pretty effective with everything. …

"It's going well."

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Upton belts Padres-record 3rd walk-off

homer By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | 2:26 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- Melvin Upton Jr. insists that hitting walk-off home runs never gets old.

If anyone would know, it's him.

Upton etched his name in Padres lore during Friday night's 2-1 victory over the Yankees, with a ninth-

inning blast into the second level of the Western Metal Building. It marked the third walk-off home run

for Upton this year -- the most by a Padres hitter in a single season -- and the seventh of his career.

"Walk-offs are always cool," Upton said with a smile afterward. "I don't care who you are."

Jaw-dropping moments have become the norm for Upton during the first half of the 2016 season -- and

not only because he's ended three games by himself.

On top of the walk-off dingers, Upton has recorded a straight steal of home; he's hit the Padres' longest

home run ever recorded by Statcast™; and he's taken away three long balls as well -- including a

breathtaking defensive gem against Baltimore earlier this week.

"There's really nothing else he can do at this point in time that's going to shock you," said Padres skipper

Andy Green.

It's not as though Upton entered the at-bat looking to play the role of hero -- although he did have two

prior homers against Yankees reliever Andrew Miller in 10 at-bats.

"Obviously, leading off the inning, the main goal is to get on base," Upton said. "You're not going up

there trying to hit a home run. Go up and try to put a good AB together against a very good pitcher."

Upton's renaissance comes after a 2015 campaign in which he missed most of the first half because of a

foot injury. Of course, that came on the heels of two poor seasons with Atlanta.

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In that regard, Upton called this year "the most fun in a while." Along with his heroic moments, Upton

has also been one of the club's steadiest players, leading the Padres with 19 stolen bases and sitting second

with a .760 OPS.

But there's no question he lives the big moment. Upton joined Bip Roberts, Bruce Bochy and Scott

Hairston as the only players with three career walk-off homers for the Padres -- and he's accomplished the

feat in the first half of this season.

"He's a low-heartbeat guy," Green said. "There's not a lot that ruffles him. He's really even-keel.

"To some degree, he's probably gotten a bad rap for that throughout the years. There's nothing that fazes

him. He's smooth, glides through the game, everything's relaxed. Some people mistake that. It's those

kinds of guys that have a low heartbeat in those pivotal situations -- it doesn't affect them."

The high-pressure stage clearly didn't get to Upton Saturday night. And while some players might wait

their entire careers for a moment like that, for Upton, it might not have been his favorite highlight of the

week.

"I don't know," Upton said with a wry grin. "Robbing the home run the other day was pretty cool. It's

definitely right up there, neck and neck."

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Huffman's strong start paces Lake

Elsinore Perez homers in 3-1 Storm win

By Bill Center / San Diego Padres | 11:09 AM ET

Starting right-hander Chris Huffman allowed one run on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts

over seven innings Saturday night to lead Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore to a 3-1 win over Lancaster at

The Diamond in Lake Elsinore.

Right-hander Phil Maton issued a walk with two strikeouts in two otherwise perfect innings to get his

fourth save as the Storm improved to 37-43 overall and evened their second-half, California League

record at 5-5.

Designated hitter Fernando Perez (.250) drove in all three runs with a homer in three at-bats. It was Otay

Ran High grad's second homer of an injury-interrupted season. Center fielder Michael Gettys (.419) was

2-for-5. Second baseman Luis Urias (.324) was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Huffman's was one of three excellent starts in the Padres system Saturday night.

Right-hander Blake Rogers (3.57 ERA) allowed three hits with a strikeout over five scoreless innings for

low Single-A Fort Wayne. Right-hander Emmanuel Ramirez (2-0, 1.29 ERA) allowed a run on seven hits

with three strikeouts in six innings for short-season Single-A Tri-City.

But the most notable start in the Padres system Saturday was turned in by Edwin Jacksonin the Major

League veteran's second outing with Triple-A El Paso.

Jackson allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts over five innings to

lower his earned run average to 3.38. But he also homered in the Chihuahuas' 13-inning, 5-3 loss to Reno

in El Paso.

Catcher Austin Hedges drew an intentional walk as a pinch-hitter to keep his 13-game hitting streak (26-

for-52 with 10 homers and 27 RBIs).

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Center fielder Manuel Margot (.302) was 3-for-7 Saturday with his 23rd steal. Left fielder Hunter

Renfroe (.331) was 2-for-4 with three walks and a run scored. Catcher Hector Sanchez (.471) had a RBI

double in three at-bats with two walks.

Left-hander Buddy Baumann (1.26 ERA) followed Jackson and allowed two hits and a walk with a

strikeout in two scoreless innings.

Right-hander Michael Dimock (3.48) struck out two in two perfect innings. Right-hander Eric Yardley

(2.35) allowed a hit and a walk with a strikeout in two scoreless innings.

Left-hander Keith Hessler (0-1, 4.66) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in an

inning-plus to take the loss. Right-hander Derek Eitel followed Hessler in the top of the 13th and issued a

walk with a strikeout in an inning.

Shortstop Nick Noonan was activated from El Paso's seven-day disabled list Saturday and was 1-for-3.

Infielder Casey McElroy, who is scheduled to play in the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 13, was placed

on El Paso's seven-day disabled list.

Right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack, who was acquired from Miami Thursday in theFernando

Rodney trade, joined low Single-A Fort Wayne Saturday.

AROUND THE FARM:

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (3-6, 25-54) -- Tulsa 9, MISSIONS 2: LF Nick Torres (.299) was 3-for-4

with a double. Starting RHP Dinelson Lamet (.1-3, 4.74 ERA) allowed five runs (three earned) on three

hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings to take the loss. RHP Rafael De Paula (2.36)

allowed three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. LHP Jose Torres (0.77) allowed a hit

and a walk with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. RHP Tayron Guerrero (4.50) gave up four runs

(three earned) on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in an inning. LHP Kyle McGrath (1.50)

allowed two hits with a strikeout in a scoreless inning.

CLASS A FORT WAYNE (4-6, 40-40) -- LAKE COUNTY 3, TinCaps 2: RHP Nick Monroe (5.80)

followed Rogers and allowed a run on three hits with a strikeout in an inning. RHP J.C. Cosme (2.71) had

a strikeout in two perfect innings. RHP Louis Distacio (1-1, 5.19 ERA) gave up two runs on three hits

with a strikeout in one-third of an inning to take the loss. 3B Carlos Belen (.217) had three doubles in four

at-bats with a RBI and a run scored. 1B Brad Zunica (.248) had a RBI double in four at-bats.

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SHORT SEASON CLASS A TRI-CITY (11-5) -- DUST DEVILS 3, Everett 1: RHP Daniel Erb (1.29)

followed Erb and allowed a hit with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. RHP Aaron Cressley (2.84) had

a strikeout in a perfect ninth to get his first save. SS Chris Baker (.265) was 2-for-3 with a run scored. C

Kyle Overstreet (.245) was 2-for-3. RF Mason Smith (.250) was 1-for-2 with a RBI. RF Luis Asuncion

(.286) was 1-for-1 with a run scored.

ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (6-4) -- ROYALS 2, Padres 0: Starting RHP Jean Garcia (0-2, 3.86)

allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings. RHP Kyle

Gauthier (0.00) allowed a hit with four strikeouts in two scoreless innings.

DSL PADRES (10-13) -- The first game of a doubleheader was suspended by rain and the second game

was rained out.

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Maurer hoping to join pantheon of

Padres closers By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | @boomskie | July 2nd, 2016

SAN DIEGO -- New Padres closer Brandon Maurer has a tattoo on the bicep just above the inside of his

left elbow that reads like this:

"Play for those that don't have the privilege to play for themselves."

Here's the back story:

"My mother [Mary] works with handicapped children," Maurer told MLB.com before the Padres played

the Yankees at Petco Park on Saturday night. "Just growing up with them all the time and seeing how

happy they are all day long made me take advantage of the ability I have."

It says a lot about Maurer, the 25-year-old right-hander, who's well aware he's inheriting a wealth of

Padres history succeeding the just traded Fernando Rodney in that role at the back of the bullpen.

The Padres have two closers already in the National Baseball Hall of Fame -- Rollie Fingers and Goose

Gossage -- and another, Trevor Hoffman, who missed by just 34 votes earlier this year, his first on the

ballot. Hoffman had a National League record 601 saves in his career, 552 of them in 12 years with the

Padres.

Mark Davis won the National League's Cy Young Award for the Padres in 1989 when he saved 44 games

and posted a 1.85 ERA.

After Hoffman left for Milwaukee as a free agent in 2009, the closer slot was amply filled byHeath

Bell, Huston Street, Craig Kimbrel and finally Rodney, who was traded to Miami on Thursday after

recording 17 saves in as many opportunities.

Maurer, who is 6-foot-5 and has a ready smile, laughed about all the greats he's following.

"We talk about it while we're sitting around in the bullpen," said Maurer, in the midst of his third big

league season. "Those guys were something special."

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Maurer considers himself to be fortunate. Hoffman is still in the organization as a senior advisor in

baseball operations with the specific assignment of coaching pitchers from the top of the organization

down. He has picked Hoffman's brain about how to approach a number of situations.

Hoffman grew up in Anaheim. His late father, Ed, was the singing usher who used to croon the National

Anthem before Angels games at what was once called Anaheim Stadium.

Strangely enough, Maurer grew up in nearby Costa Mesa. Calif.

"Not too far from here," said Maurer, who was acquired from the Mariners on Dec. 30, 2014, for

outfielder Seth Smith. "That's why I was glad I was traded."

Maurer and Hoffman have that in common, too. Hoffman was traded to San Diego on June 23, 1993, in

the fire-sale deal that sent Gary Sheffield to the Marlins. Hoffman, a converted shortstop, had two saves to

his credit when he arrived.

His first came earlier in the 1993 season for the expansion Marlins as an emergency sub for closer Brian

Harvey, who wasn't with the club that day in Atlanta.

Talk about trial by fire, Maurer now knows the feeling.

Maurer had always dreamed about being used as a closer, but he didn't figure to be thrown into the mix

for the first time in his career on Friday night in what turned out to be a 7-6 Padres victory over the

Yankees.

The Yanks trailed by five going into the inning and already had three runners and a run in with none out

against left-hander Matt Thornton when Maurer was brought into the game. Maurer quickly allowed an

RBI double by Didi Gregorius, a run-scoring grounder by Aaron Hicks, a wild pitch that scored

Gregorius, and Carlos Beltran's pinch-hit double into the left-center field gap.

Beltran represented the tying run on second with one out.

"It was a tense situation last night," said first-year Padres manager Andy Green. "First thing I told him

when I got out there is that these base runners don't mean anything. It's about getting the next three outs."

Those last three outs of the game are always the toughest to get, Maurer acknowledged. But Jacoby

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Ellsbury and Brett Gardner grounded out. And that's the way he'll remember his first Major League

save.

How did it go?

"Not good, but it went," Maurer said. "I know I made a couple of pitches there that weren't executed

properly. The slider to Didi was not nearly where I wanted it to be and that got the ball rolling. It felt good

getting those outs, though."

He had to work for it.

"Nobody said it was going to be easy," he added.

Maurer is the first line of resistance as Green conducts an in-season tryout for the closer's slot. The last

time this happened for the Padres was two seasons ago when Street was traded midstream to the

Angels. Joaquin Benoit stepped up from setup guy to closer and then hurt his shoulder.

Kevin Quackenbush, still a setup guy for the Padres, was a rookie then and filled in to save five games

that September.

"I loved it," said Quackenbush, again waiting in the wings. "I had a lot of fun doing it."

Green said he'd rather let Maurer make the most of the opportunity before discussing any alternatives.

"Let's stick with option A before we start looking at B, C, D and E," Green said. "Maurer is our guy right

now. Time will tell. I like who he is and what he brings to the table. Along the way there's going to be

times for growth, times when he doesn't come through. We'll see how he bounces back from the bad ones,

because there are going to be bad ones."

And when times get tough, Maurer can take solace. He can always refer to the tattoo on the inside of his

left arm.

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Upton's walk-off homer gives Padres 2-1

win against Yankees Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- Melvin Upton Jr. capped a remarkable first half for the San Diego Padres with a magnificent walk-off home run. Upton hit a 440-foot homer on the first pitch of the ninth from Andrew Millerto give the Padres a 2-1 victory against the New York Yankees on Saturday night. It was his third walk-off homer of the season, a team record, landing in the second balcony on the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner.

"I've seen him a lot in the past, so I had a pretty good feel for him and just got something I could handle," said Upton, who has 13 homers. `'You never go up and try to hit a home run, just go up and try to put a good A-B together against a very good pitcher."

It was Upton's seventh career walk-off homer and his 11th career walk-off hit.

Upton said this season, his second in San Diego, is "probably the most fun in a while, but I'm just glad to have the opportunity to play every day, man."

Upton, limited to 87 games last year due to a foot injury, has five more homers than his brother, Justin, who was his teammate with the Padres last year before signing with Detroit.

"He's done it enough, hasn't he?" manager Andy Green said. "It's almost ridiculous how good he's been in pivotal situations. He continues to amaze. He's a low-heartbeat guy. There's not a lot that ruffles him. He's really even-keel. I think to some degree he's probably gotten a bad rap for that over the years, like there's nothing that fazes him. He's just smooth, glides through the game, everything's relaxed."

Miller said he tried to throw a fastball down and away. "That pitch is much better located for him. I didn't do it. I wasn't very sharp in general and I paid for it.

"I just wasn't very good," Miller said. "It was not where I wanted to throw that ball. I paid for it, unfortunately. It would have been nice to get some more at-bats. I just didn't do my job."

Miller (5-1) was starting his second inning for the Yankees.

Brad Hand (2-2) pitched the ninth for the win. There were three replays that took a total of 10 minutes, 10 seconds. Among them was Matt

Kemp being thrown out trying to score from second on Upton's single to right to end the sixth. "I thought all three of those were ridiculously close today," Green said. "All of them hurt us, but at the end, Melvin did what he does."

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Starters Ivan Nova of the Yankees and Drew Pomeranz of the Padres each allowed one run before turning it over to the bullpens. New York took a 1-0 lead in the sixth when Jacoby Ellsbury hit a leadoff double, advanced on Brett

Gardner's bunt single and scored on Starlin Castro's groundout.

San Diego tied it in the bottom of the inning when Wil Myers walked and scored on Kemp's double. Kemp tried to score on Upton's single to right, but Rob Refsnydermade a great throw home to Austin Romine, who then blocked the plate with his left foot and tagged Kemp. The Padres challenged, but the call stood after a review of 3:19. The longest replay was 4:20 after Romine was thrown out after a nice throw by third baseman Yangervis Solarte on a slow roller. The call was overturned and Romine was safe with an infield single, but Nova struck out to end the inning.

Nova held the Padres to one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out seven and walked one.

Pomeranz also allowed just one run, and five hits, while striking out seven and walking none.

"The problem tonight was we didn't score," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Pomeranz has an outstanding curveball and we never were able to solve it. He was tough on our guys. It looked like it might be a 1-0 game."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Yankees: Girardi said Carlos Beltran, slowed by a tight right hamstring, will be the DH Monday at Chicago. Padres: Manager Andy Green said RHP Erik Johnson has a flexor tendon strain and is expected to be out for three to six weeks.

UP NEXT

Yankees: RHP Chad Green (0-1, 7.20) is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for his third stint with the team. It'll be his second career start and third appearance. Padres: RHP Andrew Cashner (3-5, 4.75) is due to come off the disabled list to make his first start since June 10, when he was removed from his start at Colorado with a strained neck after throwing just six pitches.

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Padres walk off with win in 81st game Upton Jr's 440-foot homer sinks Yankees

By Jeff Sanders | 10 p.m. July 2, 2016 | Updated, 11:21 p.m.

At times, the Padres have fielded baseball’s worst offense. As recently as last month, they’ve

boasted one of the game’s best.

They’ve cycled through as many starting pitchers as anyone in the game. They’ve limped on

without key contributors in the lineup. They’ve seen their prized first baseman develop into an

All-Star before their very eyes, their so-called sunk cost jump-start his career and their aging

veteran again pull himself out of second-month swoon.

Yet even in a mixed bag of a campaign, the truth at the season’s midpoint is this: The Padres

are sellers as the trade market picks up and they’re on pace for 70 wins – their lowest in eight

years – even after Melvin Upton Jr.’s franchise-record third walk-off homer sent the Padres to a

2-1 win over the Yankees on Saturday night in the 81st game of the season.

“Obviously, we’d like to be more in the hunt than we are,” Padres rookie skipper Andy Green

said hours before Upton ambushed Andrew Miller’s ninth-inning, first-pitch fastball to sink the

Yankees for a second night in a row in front of sellout crowd of 42,315 at Petco Park. “That’s the

frustrating part. I think everybody wants to be competing for the NL West title and not saying

goodbye to your closer who has been lights out. That said, we’ve endured a lot.

“We kind of knew going into the season that we couldn’t sustain injuries very well from a depth

perspective and from this point in time that’s what we’re building in the organization.”

The Padres (35-46) will get some of that depth back Sunday when right-hander Andrew

Cashner returns from his second trip to the disabled list. They’ve been without 2014 All-Star

Tyson Ross since his Opening Day assignment, have had two injury replacements – Robbie

Erlin and Cesar Vargas – succumb to their own injuries and have depended on a number of

newcomers to fill out the rotation.

Drew Pomeranz is has been the best of that bunch.

He entered Saturday’s start with opponents hitting .190 against him – third-lowest among

qualifying NL-starters – and continued a dark-horse All-Star bid by upping his latest scoreless

inning streak to 13 before the Yankees broke through in the sixth.

20

Jacoby Ellsbury doubled over Matt Kemp’s head in right-center, Brett Gardner dropped a bunt

single in front of third baseman Yangervis Solarte and Starlin Castro gave Yankees right-hander

Ivan Nova (5 1/3 IP, 1 ER) a 1-0 lead on a run-scoring groundout to second base.

“He was great again,” Green said. “Absolutely outstanding, borderline dominant. The way he

gave up a run is the way an ace gives up a run.”

Yet Pomeranz would have been in line for his eighth loss despite a 2.65 ERA if the Padres

hadn’t immediately answered with Wil Myers’ walk, his 13th steal and Kemp’s run-scoring

double off right-hander Dellin Betances.

The game again tied at 1-1, Pomeranz turned in one more scoreless frame, struck out seven

over seven strong innings (1 ER, 5 H, 0 BBs) and was watching from massage table when

Upton stepped into the box two innings later.

There, Pomeranz nearly called Upton’s 440-foot homer to left.

“I was telling our massage guy, ‘Oh, he’s got him,’” said Pomeranz, who remained 7-7 on the

season with the no-decision. “Right as I said that it cut to his swing. He’d hit it out. It was pretty

awesome. It was pretty jacked in here.

“That’s kind of his thing now. He’s going to finish it.”

Added Upton: “Walk-offs are always cool, I don’t care who you are.”

Pomeranz’s thing is quality starts: He’s turned in three in a row and has 10 in 16 starts this

season in emerging as the Padres’ de facto ace.

Maybe even an All-Star.

“I think so,” Green said. “There's an unbelievable crop of starting pitchers in the National

League, but you look at his hard-hit rate and his punch rate, his ERA, strikeouts. Everything

lines up with a top-of-the-rotation guy.

“He's pitched like an ace.”

Of course, the upstart left-hander might have a few more wins on his All-Star resume with a bit

more run support over the course of a season in which the Padres have been blanked 11 times

in 81 games, most in the majors.

The 27-year-old Pomeranz started a handful of those against the likes of Clayton Kershaw,

Johnny Cueto and Vincent Velasquez.

Of course, shutout losses have been few and far between since the calendar flipped to June,

the Padres’ offense surging on the back of Myers’ fulfilled potential, a resurgent Upton and a

Kemp who is again putting a dismal May into his rear-view mirror.

21

That added up to a 13-13 record in June even as General Manager A.J. Preller essentially

slapped a for-sale sign on his roster via the trades that sent James Shields and All-Star shoo-in

Fernando Rodney out the door.

The first deal forced the Padres to eat some $31 million of the money owed to Shields, a swap

completed just days after the franchise’s richest free agent signee was the focal point of a tirade

that saw Executive Chairman Ron Fowler call his team as “miserable failures” on the flagship

radio station.

That was June 1. The Padres were 13 games under .500 that morning.

After 81 games – and a few more injuries (Cashner’s neck, Jon Jay’s fractured forearm and now

newcomer Erik Johnson’ sprained flexor tendon) – they are 11 games under heading into the

final home game before Petco Park’s turn as an All-Star venue.

“Our record doesn’t reflect how good of a ballclub we have,” Upton said hours before his walk-

off homer left him a triple shy of the cycle. “We started off on a rough stretch. We didn’t really

start off healthy, but we’ve just been playing, man.

“Things haven’t gone the way we want, but we’re not gonna quit. We’re going to keep playing.”

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Best tools from Padres' 2016 draft class Padres staffers on best hitter, athlete, fastball and the draftee closest to the majors

By Jeff Sanders | 3:24 p.m. July 2, 2016 | Updated, 4:52 p.m.

With a team source confirming that the Padres had signed second-rounder Buddy Reed on

Saturday(terms remain undisclosed), the Padres unofficially have all 13 of their selections from

the first 10 rounds of the draft in the fold.

That’s the first step toward discovering exactly what they got in the 2016 draft class.

The next is sending their signees to affiliates, which continued this week as top pick Cal

Quantrill debuted in the Arizona Rookie League on Thursday with two scoreless innings. While it

will be quite some time before the Padres know precisely what’s what, a consensus from five

staffers in the Padres’ war room last month provides a snapshot of who to watch moving

forward.

BEST BAT CONTROL, BEST POWER

SS Hudson Potts (24th overall): The 17-year-old Potts hasn’t wasted any time chipping away

at his ceiling, going 11-for-35 with four steals to start his pro career in the Arizona Rookie

League. While some believe 1B Jacquez Williams (18th round) possesses more raw power,

Potts’ ability to handle the bat could result in more game power.

What they’re saying: “Hudson really showed us that he was capable of handling the bat in our

workouts. Tough to judge high school kids’ bats all the time because of the competition, but we

had him face good arms and he squared everything up and showed plus bat control. Boomer

White (10th round) also showed that he is a big bat control guy with the year he had. Over

achiever that really plays hard and hit in a very good conference against very good arms this

year.”

FASTEST RUNNER, BEST DEFENDER, BEST ATHLETE

CF Buddy Reed (48th): The last of the Padres’ top picks to come to terms, the switch-hitting

Reed earns 70 grades for his 4-second times to first base from the left side of the box and he’s

shows plus-plus range in center field. He never hit better than .305 at Florida, but the Padres

believe there’s an uncanny amount of athletic ability to tap into.

23

What they’re saying: “Basically he is a freak athlete that didn't hit. We think once he is left alone

and doesn't have four different opinions on what he should be doing, he will have a chance to

excel.”

BEST FASTBALL

RHP Mason Thompson (85th): Even with Tommy John washing away his most of his mound

work as a high school senior, his 6-foot-7 frame provides plenty of projection for a fastball that

already touches the mid-90s. Others with noteworthy heat include Quantrill, LHP Eric Lauer

(25th overall) and RHPs Reggie Lawson (71st overall), Jamie Sara (12th round) and Joe

Galindo (13th round).

What they’re saying: “Pure velocity, it’s probably a toss-up between Thompson, Lawson (when

both are healthy) and Jamie Sara from the high school class. Playability wise, it’s probably a

toss-up between Lauer (89-94 but plays like it’s 94-95 with solid command) or Quantrill, who has

close to top-of-the-scale command with plus velocity. Galindo has been up to 96 as well.”

BEST SECONDARY PITCH, CLOSET TO MAJORS

RHP Cal Quantrill (8th): That top-of-scale command is one reason why the Padres believe his

change-up could hit 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Laurer is advanced as a complete pitcher,

RHP Will Stillman possesses a true power curve and Sara’s flashes plus as well, but Quantrill’s

polish could have him in the majors sooner rather than later even after just beginning his

comeback from Tommy John.

What they’re saying: “Quantrill (though timetable may be forced to be slower coming off TJ)

and Eric both have present stuff, command and feel to pitch to race through minor leagues.”

AROUND THE FARM

El Paso (AAA): C Austin Hedges has 11 homers in his last 13 games. … OF Hunter Renfroe,

2B Carlos Asuaje and INF Casey McElroy will represent the Chihuahuas in the Triple-A All-Star

Game.

San Antonio (AA): CF Franchy Cordero is 3-for-7 with a double, a triple, three RBIs and a steal

since a midweek promotion to the Texas League.

Lake Elsinore (A+): CF Michael Gettys continues to flourish in the Cal League, hitting

.421/.452/.632 with a homer, seven RBIs and three steals in his first nine games there.

Fort Wayne (A): The prospect acquired in the Fernando Rodney deal, RHP Chris Paddack will

fold into the TinCaps’ rotation next week. He has 15 no-hit innings over his last three starts.

Tri-City (SS): LHP Will Headean (13th round, 2015) has 13 strikeouts against two walks and a

1.20 ERA in his first 15 innings in the Dust Devils’ rotation.

AZL Padres (R): INF Fernando Tatis Jr. (James Shields trade) leads this team with 21 total

bases in eight games. He is hitting .353/.371/.618 with one homer and four RBIs.

24

DSL Padres (R): 17-year-old LHP Omar Fernandez has started his season with 19 scoreless

innings. He has allowed 10 hits, four walks and a hit batter whiling striking out 14.

25

Q&A: Padres left-hander Christian Friedrich On big drives down the fairway, an idea for gaming and charities and a strange but lucky path to San Diego

By Jeff Sanders | 10 a.m. July 3, 2016

Christian Friedrich’s reputation on the golf course preceded his arrival in San Diego, but gaming

is also a big passion for the Padres’ 28-year-old left-hander. He set aside some time to lay out

his ideas for new charities that could incorporate video games, who’s part of that scene in the

Padres’ clubhouse and how lucky he feels to have a strange offseason lead him to San Diego.

Question: The writers in Denver were raving about your golf skills. There must be a story there.

Answer: (Laughs) I think the last outing we had it was just me and one other teammate. It was

after an extra-inning game and nobody wanted to go on the off-day, so it ended up being me

and this other guy. But there were a lot of people there because it was a team outing where they

bring out all the sponsors onto the course and they pair one player with a sponsor. On the long-

drive hole, most years I just absolutely let it eat. I can swing a golf club 10 times harder than I

can swing a bat. I think it came from that a little bit. I’m not a great ball-striker or anything. I’ll hit

the ball, but it has a tendency to leak one way or the other. There’s definitely way better golfers

in here than myself.

Q: Have you been out with these guys yet?

A: No, not yet but they go out quite a bit. I know (Matt) Thornton’s a big golfer. DeNo (Derek

Norris) is pretty good. They always had the Golf Channel on in spring training, so I knew we had

some good guys. The bullpen catcher, (Griffin Benedict) is really good. I haven’t gone out yet.

My clubs have been in the car, but I just haven’t.

Q: This is good golf country. You weren’t tempted with two off-days here in one week?

A: Yeah, really, especially with Torrey Pines right up the road. Definitely had the chance. I

thought I was going to find a spot, but I just relaxed and enjoyed my time off. Maybe during the

All-Star break, but I’ll probably be hanging out inside more.

Q: Has golf always been a good escape for you?

26

A: It’s definitely a fun time. It forces you to be outside. Growing up, everybody played outside. I

now play video games like most of the world, but I feel it’s a nice to get out with my dad and kick

the ball around for three or four hours. Its leisure time. You can have a drink or two and just

relax.

Q: What’s your go-to video game?

A: I’d say Call of Duty. Everyone plays Call of Duty. I like to play sports games where you can

play with someone. I’ll play NHL so you can play with a teammate or play against people online.

I think that’s another way to get my competitive edge in as a starter. I feel like you get that one

start every five or six days and that kind of fills my need to know that somebody else is holding a

controller on some TV wherever they are trying to beat me. So hockey, FIFA, a lot of shooter

games. I’d love to try to get more people incorporated in video games. I have a lot of ideas for

kids and charities. With FaceTime, you can see guys and you know it’s them and instead of just

going to a hospital and it’s like, “How you doing?” That’s not the best way to stir up

conversations. Now you can FaceTime a kid in New York and Tyson Ross is his favorite player

and Tyson can be playing video games against him and all of the sudden they have something

to talk about.

Q: That’s almost more intimate.

A: Exactly. It’s not face-to-face, but you can reach more kids. Kids who don’t have issues but

want to play with a big-time player. Here’s a hundred bucks to play for a half-hour and that

money can go straight to a charity. Then kids who are in need can get some FaceTime and ask

questions and compete and the whole conversation isn’t, “How are you feeling?” It’s getting

them involved.

Q: Have you made any headway with any of that?

A: It’s something that’s been in my head the last year-and-a-half. It’s finding some players who

are gamers and trying to use MLB as a platform. I’ve streamed a couple of times. We’re going to

the Call of Duty headquarters when we go to LA this week. I know a guy in marketing there. We

did this last year. We’re going to try to set up some cameras and do some live-streaming this

offseason and some 24-hour streams for charities to get it going.

Q: So you’re going to take a look at that this week in LA?

A: Yeah, we’re going to see Infinite Warfare, which is the newest Call of Duty. We’ll get to see

everything behind the scenes and we got to play the game last year like four months before it

came out. Which is a dream come true for me. This is a game that I remember in high-A I’d stay

up playing until 5 a.m. and then go to the field at 1. I’ve been playing this game since it came

out. It’s like all of the sudden, “Holy cow, I’m in the bigs,” and then, “Holy cow, I’m at the place

where they make my favorite game.”

Q: Who are the gamers in the Padres’ clubhouse?

A: Brandon Maurer plays quite a bit. (Andrew) Cashner plays. (Corey) Spangenberg plays.

(Cesar) Vargas is a pretty good player. There’s definitely a lot of guys throughout the year who

27

use their portable gaming devices and it just opens up and it’s a screen and a console. You get

the camera in there and you can bring it anywhere and you can prop that up to a kid’s bed in the

hospital and play against them. Hopefully I can make some headway on that.

Q: Obviously, the All-Star break is a time to rest that arm. You haven’t pitched in rotation in quite

some time. How are you feeling?

A: It’s definitely been a little while, but the body is holding up good with all the (physical therapy)

and training we have in there. Definitely all the exercises keeping me in balance. I haven’t had

any of those mornings where I wake up wondering, “How am I going to do it again?”

Q: That must be a good feeling considering where you’ve come from – the Angels returning you

to the Rockies because of concerns with your medicals in your shoulder. How surprising was

that to you?

A: I definitely thought something was up when the fourth day in a row (with the Angels) when

they said, “Hey, maybe you shouldn’t play catch today.” I thought something might be going on.

They expected someone to be 100 percent ready to go. I respected that decision. I just felt like I

was asking for a little help and next thing you know, I’m without a team. I went from a major

league roster to a minor league free agent. How did that just happen? I was just asking for some

soft tissue work. They went about it the right way, but you’re talking to doctors and stuff and

they’re talking off to the side about you, and it’s like, “Hey, I’m the patient.” I feel like I should be

getting all the information. That was the only confusing part – not knowing. But I couldn’t be

more blessed without how it all turned out, as crazy as this spring was. I wouldn’t have met all

the physical therapists they have here in San Diego, learned all these new exercises that are

most important for me. I’ve been doing exercises all my life but some are more conducive to the

way I throw and recovery. It’s really weird to say it, but I couldn’t have had a better turnout with

how things have come together here.

28

Padres look for series sweep of Yankees Sunday The New York Yankees need a win Sunday afternoon to avoid being swept by

the San Diego Padres. But history is on the Yankees side.

STATS LLCJul 3, 2016 at 12:27p ET

SAN DIEGO -- With CC Sabathia being pushed back a day, the Yankees have recalled right-hander Chad

Green from Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre of the International League to start Sunday's series finale

against the Padres at Petco Park.

This will be the 25-year-old Green's third trip to the major league this season. The first visit didn't go so

well.

And the pressure will be on. The Yankees need a win Sunday afternoon to avoid being swept by the

Padres. But history is on the Yankees side.

The Padres are 6-20 in day games this season, including a 2-8 record in day games at Petco Park. They are

also 3-23 in the last games of a series and 2-10 on Sundays.

As for Green, he made his major league debut on May 14 in a spot start at Arizona and allowed six runs

(four earned) on eight hits in four innings. Two of the hits were homers.

"I think Green will be less nervous than in his last start," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Saturday

while discussing the matchup of Green (0-1, 7.20 earned run average) against Padres right-hander Andrew

Cashner (3-5, 4.75 ERA), who is coming off the 15-day disabled list due to a neck strain.

"I hope so," Girardi continued in his discussion of Green. "I think that any time guys get called up at an

early age, the first time they are nervous. The second time they are less nervous. That is just the way it

goes."

Girardi said Green has pitched well at Triple-A. In fact, Green earlier this week was named to the

International League team for the Triple-A All-Star Game. He is 6-6 in 14 starts for Scranton/Wilkes-

Barre with a 1.54 ERA. He leads the IL in ERA.

Cashner, meanwhile, will be making his first appearance since June 10, when he left after facing one

hitter at Coors Field in Denver. He went on the disabled list the following day for the second time this

season. Cashner was also out from May 9 to May 24 with a left hamstring strain suffered when he

unsuccessfully tried to score from first on a double.

29

"This has been a strange year," said Cashner, who has allowed one earned run over nine innings in two

previous games (one start) against the Yankees.

Cashner missed 22 days with his neck strain. He has missed a total of six starts this season.

In four starts between his two trips to the disabled list -- each for issues unrelated to his right arm --

Casher was 1-2 with a 4.42 ERA. His ERA is currently as low as it has been since April 22.

"I thought Cash was throwing a lot better before his neck became an issue," Padres manager Andy Green

said recently. "His stuff was sharper and his command was better. He looked sharp in his rehab start

earlier this week (with Class A Lake Elsinore) so we're hopeful he's ready to move forward."

There are indications that Cashner's neck soreness could have been an issue weeks before the sprain

forced him to the sideline.

30

Yankees-Padres preview SAN DIEGO -- With CC Sabathia being pushed back a day, the Yankees have

recalled right-hander Chad Green from Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre of the

International League to start Sunday's series finale against the Padres at

Petco Park.

Stats LLCJul 3, 2016 at 3:54a ET

SAN DIEGO -- With CC Sabathia being pushed back a day, the Yankees have recalled right-hander Chad Green from Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre of the International League to start Sunday's series finale against the Padres at Petco Park.

This will be the 25-year-old Green's third trip to the major league this season. The first visit didn't go so well.

And the pressure will be on. The Yankees need a win Sunday afternoon to avoid being swept by the Padres. But history is on the Yankees side.

The Padres are 6-20 in day games this season, including a 2-8 record in day games at Petco Park. They are also 3-23 in the last games of a series and 2-10 on Sundays.

As for Green, he made his major league debut on May 14 in a spot start at Arizona and allowed six runs (four earned) on eight hits in four innings. Two of the hits were homers.

"I think Green will be less nervous than in his last start," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Saturday while discussing the matchup of Green (0-1, 7.20 earned run average) against Padres right-hander Andrew Cashner (3-5, 4.75 ERA), who is coming off the 15-day disabled list due to a neck strain.

"I hope so," Girardi continued in his discussion of Green. "I think that any time guys get called up at an early age, the first time they are nervous. The second time they are less nervous. That is just the way it goes."

Girardi said Green has pitched well at Triple-A. In fact, Green earlier this week was named to the International League team for the Triple-A All-Star Game. He is 6-6 in 14 starts for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a 1.54 ERA. He leads the IL in ERA.

Cashner, meanwhile, will be making his first appearance since June 10, when he left after facing one hitter at Coors Field in Denver. He went on the disabled list the following day for the second time this season. Cashner was also out from May 9 to May 24 with a left hamstring strain suffered when he unsuccessfully tried to score from first on a double.

"This has been a strange year," said Cashner, who has allowed one earned run over nine innings in two previous games (one start) against the Yankees.

Cashner missed 22 days with his neck strain. He has missed a total of six starts this season.

In four starts between his two trips to the disabled list -- each for issues unrelated to his right arm -- Casher was 1-2 with a 4.42 ERA. His ERA is currently as low as it has been since April 22.

31

"I thought Cash was throwing a lot better before his neck became an issue," Padres manager Andy Green said recently. "His stuff was sharper and his command was better. He looked sharp in his rehab start earlier this week (with Class A Lake Elsinore) so we're hopeful he's ready to move forward."

There are indications that Cashner's neck soreness could have been an issue weeks before the sprain forced him to the sideline.

32

Upton Walks Off The Yankees Padres outfielder delivers more late-inning heroics

By Derek Togerson

The Padres have not swept a series in 2016. If they get their first one against the New York

Yankees, it will probably have just a little extra special meaning for San Diego baseball fans

who still remember the 1998 World Series.

Melvin Upton Jr. put the Friars in a position to pull it off. Upton hit his third walk-off home

run of the season on Saturday night, a solo shot leading off the 9th against Yankees reliever

Andrew Miller, to give San Diego a 2-1 win and their second straight one-run decision against

the Yanks.

Upton has been the Padres’ best position player not named Myers and his big moment was

made possible in part by San Diego’s best pitcher.

Lefty Drew Pomeranz made his second straight stellar start. Pomeranz went 7.0 innings,

allowing one run and striking out seven. In his last two starts he’s gone 14.0 innings with just

one run allowed, potentially rekindling his chances of getting a spot on the All-Star team.

The Padres got their first run in the 6th inning on a Matt Kemp RBI double that scored Wil

Myers and tied the game 1-1. That’s how it stayed until the bottom of the 9th.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi had closer Aroldis Chapman ready to go but chose to stick with

Miller, is setup man who is likely going to be on the American League All-Star team.

Apparently Girardi did not check his stat sheet. Upton came in to the game with a .400

average and two home runs in his career against Miller.

Perhaps it should be no surprise, then, that Upton hammered the first pitch he saw in to the

left field seats to send the Friar Faithful home happy. The Padres can complete that sweep on

Sunday if Andrew Cashner can come off the disabled list and beat Chad Green.

33

Pregame: Myers' wrist 'not an issue' for derby Early notes, tidbits and a look at today’s lineups and pitching matchup

By Jeff Sanders | 6:29 p.m. July 2, 2016

Officially, All-Star Game rosters will be announced Tuesday during a selection show on ESPN.

Who might or might not participate in Petco Park’s home run derby, however, is already

beginning to crystalize.

Last year’s winner, Todd Frazier will do it if asked. The Cubs’ Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo will

not.

As for Wil Myers?

Whatever reservations the Padres might have about seeing their franchise cornerstone pushing

his surgically repaired left wrist to limit – and there are some – haven’t reached his locker.

Doesn’t sound like it would matter much, either.

“This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time and if I get the opportunity to do it I’m

not going to pass it up for anything,” Myers said. “I’m sure I’ll talk to the team, but I’m going to do

it.”

If asked, that is.

Already an ambassador for All-Star week, Myers confirmed he’d had preliminary conversations

with league officials about the derby but not an official invitation.

That might not come until after rosters are announced.

With closer Fernando Rodney traded off the team, consider Myers a virtual lock for the game.

He hit his 19th home run in Friday’s 7-6 win, swiped his 12th base and was named the NL

Player of the Month for June after clubbing 11 homers last month, tied with Bryant for the MLB

lead.

He was also led the NL in RBIs (33), extra-base hits (21), total bases (75) and runs scored (25,

T-1st).

34

That right there ought to put concerns about Myers’ wrist to bed.

Besides, he hasn’t felt any lingering effects from the injury and surgery that limited him to 60

games in his first year in San Diego.

“I take BP every day,” Myers said. “I play golf every off day I can, every Friday before the 7:40

games as well.

“The wrist isn’t even an issue.”

Notable

RHP Erik Johnson’s MRI revealed a strained flexor tendon. He’ll be shut down for three to six

weeks. “He’s out for the foreseeable future and then we’ll start building him back up, start

looking at him again in three weeks and see where he is,” Padres Manager Andy Green said.

2B Cory Spangenberg (quad) took batting practice on the field for the first time. He’s expected

to begin a rehab assignment next week in the Arizona Rookie League.

In addition to second-round CF Buddy Reed, the Padres on Saturday also signed 25th-round C

Luis Anguizola. That leaves only 16 of their 43 selections unsigned ahead of the July 15

deadline.

ON DECK | Yankees (39-40) at Padres (34-46)

Game 3: 7:10 p.m. Saturday

Yankees RHP Ivan Nova (5-5, 5.32 ERA)

The 29-year-old is 4-4 with a 5.37 ERA in 10 starts since returning to the rotation and has

allowed at least four runs in each of his last three starts. He beat the Padres in his lone

appearance, striking out eight over seven shutout innings in a start in 2013.

Padres LHP Drew Pomeranz (7-7, 2.76 ERA)

He’s already set a career-high in wins and, with 88 innings, should set a new career-high in that

department inside his next two starts. He is 1-1 with a 1.00 ERA in two appearances (9 IP)

against the Yankees.

Sunday: Yankees RHP Chad Green (0-1, 7.20) vs. Padres RHP Andrew Cashner (3-5, 4.75),

1:40 p.m.