The Padres lost a pitcher for what is expected to be one start.

They let go of a hometown outfielder.

But there is good news on the horizon.

The plan is for shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. to rejoin the team Thursday.


Two sources confirmed the 20-year-old rookie checked all the boxes in terms of health and game readiness, and one source said he is on his way to San Diego.

Tatis played the past two games on a rehab assignment with Double-A Amarillo, where he went 2-for-5 with three walks and a stolen base.

He did not play for the Sod Poodles today.

The Padres wanted to make sure he reported feeling fine after playing nine and six innings on back-to-back days and that he was confident about his timing at the plate. Barring his reporting discomfort or saying he needed more at-bats, two sources said Wednesday morning he was expected to play against the Nationals on Thursday.


Tatis strained his left hamstring on April 28 and has not played since. He was leading the Padres in virtually every offensive category when he went down.

The Padres are 15-19 without him.

Before Wednesday’s series finale against the Phillies, the Padres placed left-handed starter Matt Strahm on the 10-day IL with a strain in his left rib.

The injury had been bothering Strahm for a few weeks, he said. He feels pain when he fully extends but said it did not affect his results. He would feel better between starts and then experience more discomfort during and after his outings.

“It’s something, the pain tolerance I can deal with, I can throw through it,” said Strahm, who after posting a 2.28 ERA over his previous eight starts allowed 10 runs in 10 1/3 innings in his past two. “That’s what I was trying to do. Looking at the schedule, how long the year is and where we’re at in the year, it’s smart to make sure it’s good to go before my next start.”


× Hear from starting pitcher Matt Strahm and manager Andy Green after Strahm was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left rib strain.

Manager Andy Green said Strahm is expected to be down 10-12 days.

A break in the season was not unexpected for the 27-year-old who threw just 70 innings last season as member of the bullpen and missed the second half of 2017 following patellar tendon surgery.

“It’s something he could probably pitch through,” manager Andy Green said. “We want to give him a little rest.”


Strahm being out does mean a starting rotation that has been in continual flux is even more so for the immediate future. Strahm’s scheduled turn Saturday will likely be filled by Eric Lauer moving up a day. It is possible, with a day off to follow Monday, the Padres go with a “bullpen game” on Sunday.

The bullpen received a potential injection of innings Wednesday when the Padres activated right-hander Miguel Diaz off the 60-day injured list. Diaz, who had meniscus surgery in February, pitched as many as five innings in a game during his rehab assignment in Double-A.

Outfielder Alex Dickerson, a Poway High alum, was also designated for assignment on Wednesday. He must be traded or released within seven days. The Padres could outright Dickerson, who has been plagued by injuries the past three seasons, to Triple-A after that time.

The Padres’ outfield simply is not expected to have room for Dickerson, especially with Franchy Cordero’s return seemingly imminent. Cordero could return any day, though a couple people familiar with his at-bats in Triple-A say his timing on fastballs could use some more time. In his first 20 plate appearances before being shelved with a right elbow sprain on April 8, Cordero was batting .333 with a .450 on-base percentage.

“We’ve always app what Alex brings,” Green said. “We think it’s a professional at-bat. He’s battled to stay healthy and on the field. As an organization, we’ve been very patient and believing in him. We have a large number of outfielders we like a lot. Franchy Cordero at some point in time is going to be coming back. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions. … We’re hopeful his days as a Padre aren’t over. We just chose to go in a different direction.”

Also Wednesday, left-handed reliever Jose Castillo was working on fielding at Petco Park in advance of an anticipated rehab assignment beginning this week. Castillo was throwing 95-plus in extended spring training outings. He could need a couple weeks (or more, up to the allowable 30 days) in the minors after missing virtually all of spring training with a flexor strain.