Bob’s Briefing: Discussing Sunday’s game, Gore, Kim, Alcantara, injured list, Pomeranz, Tatis
The Padres enter Sunday’s game at Oracle Park with a chance to sweep a series from the Giants in San Francisco for the first time since 2016. Padres manager Bob Melvin discussed the game and a number of other subjects Sunday morning.
“We’re just to win today’s game … just like we did yesterday,” Melvin said when asked about the sweep. “We don’t look too far ahead. I don’t know what history would suggest here. We’ve won some close games. It would be great to win today and have a happy flight home. We’re just trying to build upon the last couple of days and they’ve been a very hard-fought couple of games against a really good team. It would be great to win today.”
On Sunday starter MacKenzie Gore’s effort out of the bullpen earlier this week: “I was really impressed what he did out of the bullpen. It gives us some options down the road, knowing that there may be some innings limits with him this year. To be that comfortable and pitch that well in a role like that. Mac talks about doing whatever he can to help the team, I’m glad that that worked out for him. But he’s back starting today.
“There are no restrictions on Gore right now. When we start a guy in a game, we’re not going to limit his pitches. Today will be a full complement. That’s something you think about a little more in the second half and it’s more adjusting to a role rather than having him go out there and having less innings in a start.”
Melvin then discussed a number of subjects:
On shortstop Ha-Seong Kim: “His defensive play has been fantastic. The metrics are off the charts for him. He views himself as a big-league player now. He feels like he belongs. His offense is good. I think he leads our team in hitting with runners in scoring position. Not only is he doing it defensively, he’s coming up with big hits and becoming the player A.J. (Preller) signed to come in here.”
On injured shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.: “I haven’t heard anything to suggest he’s swinging a bat yet. All along, we’re expecting late June, something like that. He has another bone scan coming up.”
On reserve infielder Sergio Alcantara: “His role now is kind of similar to (Jose) Azocar earlier in the season, where he’s playing some defense, pinch-running. At some point in time with Kim’s workload, we’ll probably give him a start. But it’s more nuance stuff right now. I was glad we could get him in the game like we did yesterday … get out in the field and not sit around too long. It’s not the greatest of roles right now.”
On stealing bases: “In close games steals have been a big part of our success. So has defense, so has our pitching. If the opportunity presents itself, it’s something we look at. If it doesn’t, then we don’t want to force it.”
On injured reliever Drew Pomeranz: “He threw a bullpen yesterday. I think that was a big step forward. It was kind of a lengthy one. He’s going to throw a bullpen the first or second day at home. Once he starts throwing bullpens and feeling comfortable, you can establish a timetable. But I don’t think we’re there yet. He’d be an important piece for our bullpen. But we want to make sure he gets through a couple of bullpens where he throws really well before we look at a timetable.”
On other pitchers on rehab assignments: “I know a lot of these guys are coming whether its (Adrian) Morejon, (Michel) Baez, (Jose) Castillo. All these guys could be impactful later in the season. We’re without a few of these guys right now and Tatis. It’s good to win some games without them, it’s good for our confidence. But we also know some reinforcements are coming.
“We have who we have right now. And it hasn’t been perfect at times, but I think some of the guys who have struggled a bit earlier, the guys who we were counting on late in games, are starting to pitch better now and we’re still winning games. (Robert) Suarez pitched well, but he gives up a run. But we still get through the inning and have the lead when he comes out of the game. Two nights in a row, he’s been part of a win, which works really well for his confidence.”
