The San Diego Padres’ spring training season continued as the calendar turned to March, taking on the Athletics and their former prodigal son, Leo De Vries. De Vries went 2-for-4 as the A’s got to Michael King early, and San Diego lost 7-2. 

King Shaken Up

Michael King started for the Padres, making his second appearance of the spring. King was not as sharp as in his previous start, as the Athletics got to him immediately. Tyler Soderstrom crushed a two-run home run to right field on a fading changeup down and in. King did not quite shake it off, as he ran into two-out trouble in the second inning. Two hard-hit singles and a walk loaded the bases for Shea Langeliers, who barrelled up a sinker for a ground-ball single to score two runs. King was relieved by Sadrac Franco, who ended the inning one pitch later. With the Spring Training rules, King was able to re-enter the game in the third. While his velocity remained below his season-average, he was able to get a ground-ball double play off the bat of Jeff McNeil to reach his pitch count. 

Show ‘em, Sodey! pic.twitter.com/QNFbkBn917

— Athletics (@Athletics) March 2, 2026

Bullpen Highs and Lows

The Padres’ relief corps was tested by a young Athletics lineup. Left-hander Omar Cruz came on for King after two outs, but the A’s jumped on him. Max Muncy walked, and a Leo De Vries single got two runners on with two outs. Henry Bolte pulled an outside changeup to left field, scoring Muncy from second base, and an error by the Padres’ defense scored their sixth run. Nick Kurtz capped off the inning’s scoring with an RBI single of his own. The A’s now led 7-0. 

One bright spot for the Padres’ pitching staff was swingman Logan Gillaspie. The right-hander has performed admirably so far in Spring Training, and his outing against the Athletics was a key example of why the Padres have so much faith in the right-hander. Gillaspie struck out three in 2.2 innings of hitless relief, throwing 21 of 23 pitches for strikes. He was efficient, effective, and in command. The right-hander’s four-seam fastball has been up by 1.3 mph in camp and averaged 96.2 mph in his outing on Monday. 

Lineup Notes

Nick Castellanos started at first base once again, and while the defensive results were mixed, he was kept busy. For a player learning a new position, all the reps possible were meaningful. Castellanos started a 3-6-1 double play in the third inning as part of his seven innings of work at the cold corner. Castellanos also had what looked to be an RBI double down the left-field line in the second inning, but the ball was called foul. Jake Cronenworth was back in the lineup but started at shortstop. He played 13 games there in 2025 and is currently in position as the team’s backup shortstop should Xander Bogaerts sustain an injury. Cronenworth’s ability to play shortstop does play a role in the construction of the roster, allowing for Sung-Mun Song to remain in a utility role. Jase Bowen hit a home run in the ninth off former Padre Nick Hernandez, scoring the Padres’ second run. Francisco Acuna hit a double in the eighth inning, but was left stranded in the frame. 

News on the Health Front

Joe Musgrove is scheduled to start the Padres’ exhibition game against Team Great Britain on Wednesday, March 4. It will be Musgrove’s first official game action since Game 2 of the 2024 Wild Card Series. Elsewhere, reliever Bryan Hoeing has been shut down due to renewed elbow discomfort, and there is no timeline for his return. Also on the health front, catcher Blake Hunt has been shut down due to an oblique injury. Given the nature of oblique injuries, there is no timeline for his return to baseball activities yet. 

Joe Musgrove will start the Padres game against Great Britain on Wednesday.

— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) March 2, 2026

Next Game Preview

The Padres head over to Camelback Ranch to face off against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Nick Pivetta will make the start for the Padres, while the South Siders counter with left-hander Sean Newcomb.

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.