Nola diagnosis encouraging, but SD injury list is deep

PEORIA, Ariz. -- With less than a week until the Padres break camp in Peoria, their Opening Day roster picture is suddenly as murky as it has been all spring.

San Diego caught a couple of rough injury breaks on Sunday, when catcher Austin Nola was hit in the nose by a pitch and outfielder Juan Soto exited a back-field game with an oblique strain.

After Monday's off-day, Tuesday brought a bit of optimism on both fronts -- and disappointment elsewhere.

? Soto's oblique injury 'minimal,' MRI shows

Nola, manager Bob Melvin said, has avoided serious damage, with only a minor fracture.

"It's remarkable to me," Melvin said. "There's a slight fracture on the nasal bone. But no black eyes, not a ton of swelling, pretty remarkable. He could be doing [mild] baseball activities as soon as tomorrow or the next day."

Soto, meanwhile, underwent an MRI on Tuesday afternoon, and his oblique strain is “minimal,” Melvin said, with the expectation that Soto could resume swinging later this week.

Those positive updates were tempered by a setback for left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who experienced inflammation in his left elbow. That's not particularly alarming, as Pomeranz has experienced the same issue before and is still playing catch. But it puts his Opening Day status in serious doubt.

Joe Musgrove's status remains in doubt. But Melvin noted that the right-hander will pitch a simulated game this week -- potentially as soon as Wednesday -- a notable step in his recovery from a fractured left big toe.

Indeed, it was a newsy day in Padres camp -- newsier than the team would've hoped. With nine days left to set their Opening Day roster, here's a quick look at how the injuries to those four players might reshape the Padres' plans:

Nola
Suffice it to say, Melvin is far more encouraged about Nola's prospects for Opening Day than he was two days ago.

"It's incredible, really," Melvin said. "I didn't think there was any chance that we'd be looking at him without putting him on the IL."

Still, there are hurdles Nola would need to clear to be ready for the opener. If he weren't available, backup Luis Campusano would slot into the starting role, with Brett Sullivan and Pedro Severino fighting for the backup job.

The Padres prefer to avoid that scenario. In an ideal world, the 24-year-old Campusano would cede early playing time to the more veteran Nola, with the two perhaps developing a more even timeshare as the season progresses.

Soto
Soto’s MRI results are hugely encouraging. If he were to miss Opening Day, it would be a major blow to team that's already missing one corner outfielder, with Fernando Tatis Jr. slated to miss the first 20 games due to his PED suspension.

As things stand, Adam Engel, José Azocar, David Dahl and Brandon Dixon are vying for right-field reps. The Padres could simply pluck two of those options as replacements for Soto and Tatis.

But that might leave them without the thump they're looking for. Currently, Matt Carpenter and Nelson Cruz are slated for a DH platoon. Perhaps one (or both) would get outfield reps in Soto's absence.

Based on Soto’s MRI, the Padres are optimistic they won’t have to go down that path.

Pomeranz
The Padres have operated all spring as though Pomeranz's roster status was something of a toss-up. As such, they have options for the extra bullpen spot -- though not as many as they started the spring with.

Injuries to Adrian Morejon, Craig Stammen and José Castillo have ruled that trio out.

There are, however, intriguing long-relief options in Jay Groome, Brent Honeywell Jr., Julio Teheran and Ryan Weathers. With questions about Musgrove's availability and Yu Darvish’s buildup, that length could prove pivotal.

Musgrove
Musgrove is still targeting an Opening Day roster spot, perhaps lining him up to pitch in Atlanta on the team’s first road trip. Privately, the Padres say that’s a touch optimistic. Publicly?

“I don’t want to say anything that would suggest a ‘no’ on that,” Melvin said. “I want him being driven, like he is.”

Without Musgrove, the Padres would likely pare down their rotation from six to five, freeing up an extra spot in their bullpen. But if Groome continues to impress, perhaps he’d earn an early start.

Musgrove is resolute that his absence won’t be a prolonged one, but he conceded that his long-term health is top priority.

“I’m anxious,” Musgrove said. “It feels good. I want to go. But I understand the importance of pacing it and getting built up properly.”