AJ Cassavell
@AJCassavell
15th season at http://MLB.com • 10th as Padres beat reporter • 13-time Cassavell family Wiffle Ball tournament champion • Give it time, go ahead, give it hell
1st-rder Kruz Schoolcraft signs w/@Padres for $3,606,600 (full slot 25 value). California prep LHP, huge 6-ft-8 frame & huger polish, fastball to 97 mph, tight low-80s slider, feel for changeup, intriguing bat & power as well. Tennessee recruit. @MLBDraft
Final: Marlins 3, Padres 2 The Padres played three low-scoring, one-run games in Miami and lost two of them. Their offense needs an upgrade or two, and you figure that's coming before the Deadline. But in the meantime, that lack of depth on offense is costing them.
Game 102: Padres at Marlins (Cease vs. Alcantara), 9:10 a.m. PT at LoanDepot Park
Final: Marlins 4, Padres 3 Trade candidate Edward Cabrera stifled the San Diego offense for most of the night. The Padres rallied for two in the ninth, but the bottom of the lineup stranded the tying run on second base. Rubber match tomorrow.
Game 101: Padres at Marlins (Kolek vs. Cabrera), 3:40 p.m. PT at LoanDepot Park
The Padres recalled not only Stephen Kolek today but also Kyle Hart. Alek Jacob and Bryan Hoeing were optioned. Possible R/L piggyback situation with Kolek/Hart if the Padres choose to go that route after using all of their big bullpen arms last night.
The Padres are "built for the second half," Mike Shildt said. Might they have another second-half surge in them? Well, they hit the 100-game mark tonight, and, in some ways, they're ahead of schedule. mlb.com/padres/news/pa…
Final: Padres 2, Marlins 1 The back end quartet of Morejon-Estrada-Adam-Suarez nailed down another. The Padres reach the 100-game mark at 55-45. They're squarely in the playoff picture and now sit three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. Ten days 'til the Trade Deadline.
Stephen Kolek will be activated to start tomorrow and fill the Padres’ rotation vacancy. He’s in Miami on the taxi squad.
Game 100: Padres at Marlins (Vásquez vs. Pérez), 3:40 p.m. PT at loanDepot Park
The Padres aren’t asking Gavin Sheets to play a gold-glove left field. He’s still brought significant value just by playing there competently, even if another left fielder might be on the way in the next few weeks. mlb.com/news/gavin-she…
The Padres are back tonight, with an intriguing second half ahead: mlb.com/news/san-diego…
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado are back at the ASG. They debuted as Padres on the same day, 6 1/2 years ago, and, frankly, changed the franchise. "The expectations just changed," Tatis said. "Man, I'm really happy they did. That's what we wanted." mlb.com/padres/news/ho…
Nick Pivetta's first half was a major success. Did the Padres ever need it. mlb.com/padres/news/ni…
Along with being very tall and having a sweet name, Padres first-rounder Kruz Schoolcraft seems like a very intriguing pitching prospect: mlb.com/padres/news/kr…
The Padres drafted 6-foot-8 lefty Kruz Schoolcraft out of high school in Oregon at No. 25 overall. It's the ninth straight Draft in which they've used their first rounder on a high-school player.
Final: Phillies 2, Padres 1 The Padres hit the break at 52-44. They raced to a fast start -- 8 games over .500 on April 11 -- and three months later, they're still there. An up-and-down first half. But a relatively strong finish and a roster that seems to be getting healthier.