SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Padres¡¯ Opening Day roster isn¡¯t quite final. There are still major decisions to be made ahead of Thursday¡¯s season opener against the Braves at Petco Park.
But the specifics of those decisions came into focus with a roster deadline of sorts on Sunday, as the team prepares to break camp in Peoria on Monday.
Yuli Gurriel, Jose Iglesias and Mart¨ªn Maldonado are all poised to make the club.
All three signed Minor League deals with opt-outs in their contracts if they weren¡¯t placed on the Padres¡¯ roster. Those opt-outs would have been exercised on Sunday.
The Padres have not yet made a formal roster announcement, but all three remained with the team -- meaning all three will have their contracts selected in the coming days, before opening the season with the club.
Here¡¯s what it means:
1. Maldonado wins backup catcher role
With Elias D¨ªaz as the starter behind the plate, the race for the backup role came down to Maldonado, Luis Campusano and Brett Sullivan. On Saturday, Sullivan was designated for assignment. (He is out of options and cannot be sent to the Minors without first clearing waivers.)
Campusano is not, which means he can be sent to Triple-A El Paso. That appears to be the likely next step here. Campusano outhit Maldonado this spring, even after missing time early in camp with an illness.
But the Padres have raved about Maldonado¡¯s work behind the plate and his ability to handle a pitching staff. Ultimately, that won out.
2. Bench race tightens
Gavin Sheets and Jason Heyward are the Padres¡¯ presumed starters at DH and in left field (against right-handed pitching, at least). If both make the club, that would leave only one bench spot available -- and a half-dozen players vying for it.
Oscar Gonzalez, Connor Joe, Brandon Lockridge, Mason McCoy, Eguy Rosario and Tyler Wade remain in big league camp. It¡¯s possible there¡¯s room for only one from among that group.
Gonzalez, Joe, Lockridge and McCoy can all be sent to the Minors. Rosario and Wade, however, are out of options.
The Padres¡¯ thinking for that final spot remains wholly unclear. Gurriel¡¯s inclusion on the roster likely sets him up to platoon at DH (with Sheets). Iglesias, meanwhile, can fill a utility role in the infield. Notably, there¡¯s still no righty-hitting platoon partner for Heyward in left field.
3. Pitching questions linger
If there¡¯s one position-player spot available on the Opening Day roster, there are still three remaining on the pitching side -- two in the rotation and one in the bullpen.
That¡¯s assuming Alek Jacob has pitched his way onto the team. Jacob has been excellent this spring, and injuries to Sean Reynolds and Bryan Hoeing have cleared an obvious place in the bullpen for him. It¡¯s a bullpen that might look like this:
Robert Suarez, RHP
Jason Adam, RHP
Jeremiah Estrada, RHP
Adrian Morejon, LHP
Wandy Peralta, LHP
Yuki Matsui, LHP
Alek Jacob, RHP
TBD
Based on the current roster options, that last spot will come down to Ron Marinaccio, Logan Gillaspie and Juan Nu?ez (a Rule 5 selection, who would need to be returned to Baltimore if he doesn¡¯t make the team).
In the rotation, it¡¯s Stephen Kolek, Kyle Hart and Randy V¨¢squez vying for two spots. Kolek has a chance to make his closing argument in Monday¡¯s Cactus League finale against the Mariners.