Padres start season with electrifying Tatis sidelined March 30 sharefacebooktwitterredditlink SAN DIEGO (AP) Baseball had been back for just a few days before the euphoria turned to shock for the San Diego Padres. Superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. arrived at spring training with a broken left wrist believed to be the result of a motorcycle accident in his native Dominican Republic in December had surgery and is expected to be out until at least mid-June.Then the Padres watched as every big-name free agent who could have helped them signed elsewhere. The lo s of Tatis to begin the season is huge as they try to dig out from the wreckage of their stunning September collapse. The $340 million All-Star led the NL with 42 homers last year and finished third in MVP voting despite being limited to 130 games due to three trips to the injured list, twice for a left shoulder injury and once because of COVID-19.The Padres will plug that hole Josh Harrison Jersey with second-year big leaguer Kim Ha-seong. Theyll put spring training acquisitions Luke Voit at DH and Matt Beaty into the mix in left field, all while hoping their rotation doesnt wither away physically like it did late last season. The Padres turned to veteran manager Bob Melvin after their late-season freefall cost predece sor Jayce Tingler his job and left the Friars at 79-83, their 10th losing record in as many full seasons since 2011. The Padres went from holding a one-game lead for the NLs second wild-card spot on Sept. 9 to being eliminated from playoff contention with seven games left.Melvin, who has been voted Manager Nick Castellanos Jersey of the Year three times, was hired away from Oakland and inherits a team that should be in a competitive window. The Padres did win a wild-card series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season before imploding last year after the All-Star break. When you have a $200 million payroll, you would think thats exactly the case, Melvin said. You get the type of support from ownership that gives you a chance to win and gives you a payroll where you can go out and pay some guys, which were doing right now. I absolutely think thats where we are right now.Injuries aside, right-hander Mike Sunshine Clevinger, who returns after mi sing 2021 while rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery, likes what he sees.When were firing on all cylinders, we can compete with anybody on the planet, Clevinger said. This is a pretty outrageous lineup weve got. Same with the rotation. When you look at some of the arms coming out of James McCann Jersey the bullpen, we just need to put it together. I think thats what we were mi sing last year. People were dealing with a lot of different things, injuries.REPLACING EL NINOKim will fill in at shortstop until Tatis returns. The 26-year-old from South Korea struggled at the plate last year as a rookie but was solid while playing at shortstop, second base and third base.ROOKIES TO WATCHThe Padres must decide if top prospect C.J. Abrams, a shortstop, and former top prospect MacKenzie Gore, a left-hander, are ready for the big leagues. Both have been impre sive in spring training. Gore, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 draft, has struggled the last few seasons. Abrams was the sixth pick overall in 2019.NEW LOOK Voit, made expendable when the Yankees signed Anthony Rizzo to a two-year contract, will be DH and occasionally spell Eric Hosmer at first base. Beaty is expected to see time in left, along with Jurickson Profar, and as a pinch-hitter, after being designated for a signment by the rival Brandon Dixon Jersey Los Angeles Dodgers and then traded to San Diego. Catcher Jorge Alfaro, obtained from Miami just before the lockout started, has had an impre sive spring. PITCHING STAFFYu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Clevinger and Blake Snell are set for the rotation, Melvin said. But Snell is a little behind and might only go three innings in his regular-season debut. Candidates for the fifth spot include Chris Paddack, Nick Martinez, Ryan Weathers and Gore. The Padres head into the season not knowing who their closer is after Mark Melancon left for division rival Arizona. The candidates for closer are Dinelson Lamet, Emilio Pagan and Robert Surez.NO-NO JOEMusgrove threw the Padres first-ever no-hitter in just his second start with his hometown team April 9 at Texas. He was also the only member of the rotation who didnt mi s a start, finishing 11-9 with a 3 Leonys Martin Jersey .18 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 181 1/3 innings.___Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/berniewilson___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports in this topic Major League Baseball San Diego Padres Blake Snell Eric Hosmer Chris Paddack Ryan Weathers Jurickson Profar Jorge Alfaro Joe Musgrove Fernando Tatis Jr. Anthony Rizzo Emilio Pagn Mark Melancon Dinelson Lamet Luke Voit Matt Beaty San Diego Padres share Mbapp is bringing soccer to a new dimension Jordan Zimmermann Jersey at World Cup Cristiano Ronaldos precision 15 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Poland finds its true level at World Cup, beaten by the best Poland heads home from the World Cup as the latest team unable to resist an inspired Kylian Mbapp 15 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS World Cup fans find booze at hotels, Qatar's 1 liquor store Qatar's strict rules regarding alcohol have drawn attention as it hosts the World Cup 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Sterling leaves England World Cup camp after home break-in England forward Raheem Sterling has left his teams World Cup camp in Qatar and returned to the U.K. after a break-in at his home 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ronaldo looks to shine like Mbapp and Me si at World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo has been overshadowed by the brilliance of Lionel Me si and Kylian Mbapp so far at the World Cup 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS