Padres notes: Xander Bogaerts slides again to shortstop for day, as Ha-Seong Kim will get 'precautionary' relaxation

Erstwhile shortstop Xander Bogaerts mentioned just lately he wish to be the Padres’ backup on the place.

“I’m going to ask to play shortstop on Kim’s off day,” the Padres’ new second baseman mentioned final week.

His want was granted for Wednesday’s exhibition sport, as he’s beginning at shortstop towards the Reds.

The rationale, for now, will not be trigger for alarm. However it wasn’t simply because Ha-Seong Kim was getting a time off.

Kim skilled again spasms whereas doing drills Tuesday morning, a number of sources confirmed, and can reap the benefits of some down time to strive to ensure the state of affairs doesn’t grow to be severe. Sources described the choice to relaxation Kim as “precautionary” and “preventative.”

Kim didn’t participate in drills Wednesday however was mentioned to have been just about ache free by Tuesday evening. The expectation is that he’ll play Friday evening towards the Giants.

That may give him three days off, as virtually each common took Tuesday’s sport off and the Padres would not have a sport or exercises scheduled Thursday.

The workforce seems unconcerned about Kim’s standing, and supervisor Mike Shildt sidestepped any point out of Kim’s circumstance.

“(Boagerts) goes to slip over and play brief when Kimmy wants a day,” Shildt mentioned when requested about Kim’s absence on Wednesday morning. “So it’s an amazing alternative for him to go over and do this at this time. … He’s the backup shortstop.”

Whereas it’s just about remarkable for an everyday to take off three days in a row throughout spring coaching with out trigger, the Padres did plan for Bogaerts to get some reps at shortstop in some unspecified time in the future.

He’s making a change to second base this season, because the Padres imagine their greatest defensive alignment is with Kim on the left aspect of the infield.

Stated Shildt: “We simply wish to put Bogey in there, give him a while.”

Notable

• Reliever Yuki Matsui reported feeling good the morning after Tuesday’s bullpen session, his first since struggling a decrease again pressure on Feb. 25. Shildt mentioned his subsequent step might be one other bullpen session or a dwell batting apply. Matsui’s standing for the season-opening sequence in Korea seemingly gained’t be identified till after that occurs. Stated Shildt: “There’s a chance he’ll be prepared, but it surely’s too early to say with any weight to it. … We don’t wish to push it for the sake of the 2 video games. … We’re simply going to proceed to rely (Matsui’s) expertise and what we see over the subsequent a number of days to dictate whether or not he’s going to have the ability to naturally be able to compete. And if he’s, nice. If he’s not, that’s OK.”
• Joe Musgrove and Michael King are anticipated to pitch 4 innings in a “B” sport Thursday. Catcher Kyle Higashioka is the one different main leaguer scheduled to play within the sport, which the Padres organized with the intention to hold Musgrove and King on their pitching schedule.
• Yu Darvish is slated to begin Friday evening.