In a matchup between two Wild Card teams from last season, the Padres’ lineup depth led the way to a lead, and a nine-run eighth inning sealed the Padres’ 14-3 win over Cincinnati. 

Depth Bats Stepping Up

The Padres having players away at the World Baseball Classic opens up more playing time for several role players looking to cement themselves on the roster. These opportunities have been successful so far. Gavin Sheets, who was in that situation last Spring Training, opened the scoring for the Padres. Facing Reds’ former No. 2 overall pick Chase Burns, Sheets turned on a middle-middle fastball, sending it 410 feet out to right field for a three-run homer.

Nick Castellanos drew two walks in three plate appearances, and Nick Solak lined a 108 mph double to score a run. Romeo Sanabria, whose pathways to playing time are somewhat blocked at the MLB level, continued to make his best showing. Sanabria drove a changeup to left field, landing the ball over the fence down the line for a three-run homer. While his homer had a 94.6 mph exit velocity, it carried a 30-degree launch angle to get over the fence. 

The sound off the bat ?‍? pic.twitter.com/JMuq67VZ65

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 8, 2026

Who’s the fairest of them all? pic.twitter.com/aB1PRPzrUt

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 8, 2026

A Late Entrant to the Rotation Race?

While much has been said about the Padres’ starting rotation race, there remains one player who has risen to the competition while being overlooked by onlookers. Logan Gillaspie started for the Padres and was just as dominant as he has been all spring. Gillaspie tossed four innings of scoreless baseball, striking out two batters. He allowed only two hits, and while he walked two batters, Gillaspie’s seven-pitch mix kept Reds hitters on the edge. Gillaspie has now pitched 7.2 innings of scoreless baseball this spring, striking out eight batters and posting a 0.65 WHIP. 

Padres manager Craig Stammen discusses Logan Gillaspie’s solid work and more after the team’s win against the Reds. pic.twitter.com/0yM3Pl5mYS

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) March 8, 2026

Hart’s Bullpen Audition

The Padres and Craig Stammen have mentioned in the past that Kyle Hart would be stretched out this spring, but could very well wind up in the bullpen. Hart did a bit of both in his outing on Sunday, as the left-hander threw 2.2 innings of no-hit baseball in relief. Hart punched out three batters, and his fairly new splitter got whiffs on 60% of swings. Hart’s fastball averaged 93.1 mph in the outing, which was up from his 91.4 mph average in 2025. Having this version of Hart out of the bullpen could be a legitimate option for the Padres in long relief or as a platoon-neutral relief option. 

Don’t Forget the Regulars!

Five projected Padres starting position players were in the initial starting lineup, and that number went down to four when Ramon Laureano was scratched due to general body fatigue. While vague, it is worth remembering the sort of fatigue that an overly hot climate (like spring in Arizona) can be. Jake Cronenworth led off yet again, finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI triple. Cronenworth is now hitting .364 with a 1.053 OPS in spring. Jackson Merrill hit two doubles in three at-bats, scoring one run. Merrill also hit a ball 106 mph off the bat, which would be in the upper 10% of his batted balls last season. 

Croney getting it done! pic.twitter.com/08CTq5WmgE

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 8, 2026

It’s All In The (Contract) Details

Several Padres on minor league deals saw some details emerge. Ty France and Walker Buehler, two veterans who are favorites to make the MLB roster, have opt-out clauses should they not make the Padres’ Opening Day roster. Both can opt out on March 21, though they have higher chances at making the roster. Should either not make the roster, they have follow-up opt-outs on May 1 and June 1, as is common with minor league invitee contracts.

Fellow non-roster invitee Triston McKenzie has his first opt-out all the way on June 1. Marco Gonzales, who is in the same boat, has an opt-out for the end of spring training should another team offer him a direct Major League roster spot. Lastly, German Marquez’s major league deal requires the right-hander’s consent for a minor league assignment should he not crack the Opening Day rotation or bullpen. 

Next Game Preview

Padres spring training action continues on Monday with lunchtime baseball; the Padres play host to the Texas Rangers in Peoria. In a matchup of aces, Texas sends Jacob deGrom to the mound, while the Padres counter with Randy Vasquez. Vasquez is coming off four scoreless innings in relief against Team Great Britain. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 pm Pacific, and will be broadcast on Padres TV and the MLB Gameday site.

Diego Garcia

A born and raised San Diegan, Diego Garcia is a lifetime Padres fan and self-proclaimed baseball nerd. Diego wrote about baseball on his own site between 2021-22 before joining the East Village Times team in 2024. He also posts baseball content on his YouTube channel “Stat Nerd Baseball”, creating content around trades, hypotheticals, player analyses, the San Diego Padres, and MLB as a whole.

A 2024 graduate of San Diego State, Diego aims to grow as a writer and content creator in the baseball community.