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Team plans to use three receivers in ‘many different ways’ – San Diego Union-Tribune

Posted on by angelo
Team plans to use three receivers in ‘many different ways’ – San Diego Union-Tribune

After three days of rest (the team was completely rested on Tuesday), Kyle Higashioka is behind the plate for the first time since Monday as the Padres open a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants. He will not start two consecutive days, however, Luis Campusano should be paired with Dylan stops on Saturday as has become the trend.

Beyond that, the Padres manager Mike Shildt will keep the team’s capture plans to himself, other than to acknowledge a willingness to use David Peralta And Donovan Solano on the bench aggressively as the team has three backs in Higashioka, Campusano and Elias Diaz.

Diaz, for example, made his Padres debut Thursday as a replacement, pitching the final three innings after Campusano and Higashioka were replaced by pinch hitters.

“We can use them in many different ways,” Shildt said.

Based on recent history, starting games might be a different story, at least to begin Diaz’s tenure.

Campusano has caught all but four of Cease’s starts this season, and all 12 Yu Darvish of begin.

Meanwhile, Higashioka has assisted in all five of Musgrove’s starts since returning from the injured list and all of King’s starts since the All-Star break.

It was therefore logical that the new member of the rotation, his Venezuelan compatriot Martin Perezwas circled for Diaz’s first start behind the plate Thursday.

Diaz, 33, joined the major league team on Sunday and began bonding with Perez before Thursday’s game. He has ties to the Pirates as a catcher’s coach/assistant game manager Brian Esposito and bullpen catcher Heberto Andrade helped with the integration process, as did willing partners Higashioka and Campusano as Diaz begins to learn an entirely new pitching staff at the height of a postseason surge.

The Padres lost Thursday’s game on a grand slam that Robert Suarez allowed in the ninth inning, but Perez’s 6⅓ shutout innings to start the game were a good first step forward.

“I’ve had a lot of help from a lot of people in the locker room, just learning how to play with the pitchers,” Diaz said through his interpreter Pedro Gutierrez. “That’s the main goal. I’ve been able to do a great job with Martín Pérez. But yeah, you just have to get into the rhythm as quickly as possible and get ready to contribute.”

Perez added: “I’ve known him for a long time. He’s a good guy. We come from the same country and I’m happy for him because he’s here and I know he can help us win a lot of games. The way he runs games and the way he adapts to my rhythm and my timing every time, it’s all been pretty good. He knows how I like to pitch and it’s good when you have a catcher behind the plate who knows you very well.”

Time will tell if the Diaz-Perez pairing will be a vital part of the catcher rotation or if Diaz’s duties will continue to grow as the Padres get closer to the regular season finish line.

Higashioka is having a breakout season offensively, but his 549⅔ innings behind the plate could surpass his career-high 642 innings he caught last year and Camupusano’s production at the plate has dropped off significantly as he comes off his first full major league season (661⅔ innings).

Here’s how the Giants will line up for Friday’s first pitch at 6:40 p.m. (Apple TV+):

Friday’s Throwing Game

Giants right-handed relief pitcher Mason Black (0-2, 7.45 ERA)

The 24-year-old rookie has 16 strikeouts and seven walks in 19 1/2 innings since his debut in May. He made four starts in that time and returned to the lineup on Aug. 31, allowing two runs in five innings in a loss to the Marlins. It’s Black’s first appearance against the Padres or anyone on their roster.

Michael King, Padres right-handed pitcher (11-8, 3.17 ERA)

Starting full-time for the first time, King pitched a career-high 150 1/2 innings. He last pitched on Aug. 29 (4 1/2 innings, 2 earned runs) as the Padres took advantage of Yu Darvish’s return to give King some extra rest. He made two starts against the Giants this year, allowing two runs in 11 innings (1.64 ERA) and striking out 10 batters against eight walks.

Here’s how King performed against the current Giants: