As for who will earn the final spot on the roster, there is still no answer. Padres manager Mike Shildt said this spring camp has been especially competitive, making the selection process that much harder.
“It’s not even close,” Shildt said Sunday morning. “This has been a very, very competitive camp. All those guys have played their way onto a team that only has so many spots.”
The players still competing for a roster spot include first baseman/corner outfielder Connor Joe, outfielders Oscar Gonzalez and Brandon Lockridge and infielder/outfielders Eguy Rosario and Tyler Wade.
“Competition brings the best out of everybody,” Wade said. “It’s healthy competition. I think we all root for each other, which is really unique, because I’ve been in places where it’s similar to this and guys don’t root for one another. Because at the end of the day, we’re all a team, right? So everyone’s supporting each other, bringing the best out of everybody. And it’s part of baseball, man. There is always going to be competitions, and there’s the business side of things as well. So as long as we’re all pushing each other. And you saw last year — at the end of the day, everyone’s going to help us out at some point and have a big role. So if it’s not now, it’s definitely later.”
After an untimely first-round exit in October, the Padres know they have unfinished business in 2025. The ongoing competition this spring is a testament to the depth within the organization, and bodes well for their postseason endeavors.
