Manny Machado again spent Saturday working hard to get back in the lineup, although manager Bob Melvin didn’t say when that might be during his daily pre-game media session. “Manny took another step in the right direction today, said Melvin. “He did some stuff in the cage then took some…

By Bill Center — Nabil Crismatt isn’t the hardest thrower in the Padres’ bullpen. He doesn’t have the longest history. But the 27-year-old, durable Colombian can no longer be considered a secret weapon. Opponents know what the 6-foot-1, 220-pound, right-handed reliever can do — get batters out with excellent command of his pitches. Crismatt…

By Bill Center — Trent Grisham and Jorge Alfaro are getting Friday night off against the Phillies. “With Trent, yes, it’s just a day off,” said Padres manager Bob Melvin. As for Alfaro … “That was a little bit more of a difficult decision today,” said Melvin. “Nola is swinging the bat pretty well…

By Bill Center — Robert Hassell III, who will soon become the Padres №1 prospect when CJ Abrams graduates from the MLB Pipeline list due to his Major League playing time, was 3-for-4 Thursday night with a RBI and his 19th stolen base to raise his batting average to .313 for High Single-A Fort…

By Bill Center — Just before Bob Melvin started his daily media session Thursday, Manny Machado was on the field at Petco Park doing some agility drills: “Manny got the ankle taped up today,” said Melvin. “He told me yesterday there’s a good chance he’d be out here. I don’t know how he does…

By Bill Center — Infielder Matthew Batten, the Padres №26 prospect, was 2-for-4 with a double, a solo homer and two ruins scored for Triple-A El Paso Wednesday night to raise his batting average to .310. Catcher Luis Campusano (.323), the Padres’ №3 prospect, was 1-for-4 for El Paso. Right fielder Esteury Ruiz (.377)…

By Bill Center — Shortstop Max Ferguson had four hits Tuesday night to raise his batting average to .247 for Single-A Lake Elsinore. But that’s not the key number for the 22-year-old Ferguson, who was the Padres fifth-round draft last July out of the University of Tennessee. Ferguson has a .401 on-base percentage. …

By Bill Center — With his required 10-day stay in Major League Baseball’s COVID-19 protocol over, manager Bob Melvin returned to the Padres Wednesday and discussed his absence in length during the pre-game media session. “It feels great to be back,” said Melvin. “That was very unsettling to sit around like that and have…

By Bill Center — Bench coach Ryan Christenson moved out of the COVID-19 protocol just before Monday’s game and took over from Ryan Flaherty as acting manager Tuesday. One of his first duties back, hosting the daily pre-game media session. “It feels really good to be back,” said Christenson. The COVID-19 injured list is…