SHILDT SAYS: It’s All Good News as Joe Musgrove is Sharp and Yu Darvish and Fernando Tatis Jr. Resume Baseball Activities
Prior to Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the Mets at Petco Park, the Padres made the following moves — promoted right-handed reliever Lake Bachar from Triple-A El Paso and optioned right-handed reliever Logan Gillaspie back to the Chihuahuas. Also, infielder Matthew Batten has cleared waivers and has been out-righted to El Paso.
The best news any manager can receive during a playoff push is having key players return after an absence.
Which explains the excitement in Mike Shildt’s voice earlier this week after Joe Musgrove shut out the Mets on one hit over seven innings in arguably the right-hander’s best outing since his historic no-hitter. And just before that performance, Yu Darvish was throwing a bullpen for the first time he went on the restricted list while Fernando Tatis Jr. was running on the field and taking batting practice.
“It feels like I got smarter,” said Shildt of the presence of Musgrove, Darvish and Tatis in the Padres’ clubhouse. “The more of those guys we can have here the better.”
Musgrove, of course, is back in the rotation. But it will still be a while before the Padres see Darvish and Tatis in a game. But the clock is ticking.
“Yu being back in the clubhouse is fantastic on a lot of levels,” said Shildt. “It seems like he is doing well. It seems like he is in a really good place. A lot of positives.
“He still has a process to take place before he gets back on the mound for us. But having him available to us … he’s a rightfully, well-respected, admired teammate. I admire Yu Darvish as a professional and a man. Anytime we get someone with his success and have him as a person back in the clubhouse, there are nothing but positives.
“We’re going to partner with him. He has been throwing, but we haven’t been privy to that. We’ll have eyes on him and work on the next steps to get him back pitching for us.”
Darvish was back on the field Sunday morning, throwing 54 pitches during a live batting practice session.
“There’s another side, a live batting practice or a rehab situation,” said Shildt. “We’re still a ways away. When he comes back, he’s in the rotation. It will have a residual impact on other people.”
As for Tatis: “When you have guys like him and Yu … when they’re back it’s all positives,” said Shildt.
And Musgrove: “You knew he was going to compete,” said Shildt. “Watching him making adjustments is a good sign.”
