Wil Myers will need more than a day or two to get back in the lineup this time.

The Padres on Wednesday placed their 27-year-old outfielder on the 10-day disabled list with right arm irritation. The expectation is that a minimal stay on the shelf will allow both that injury and the back tightness that’s dogged Myers in recent weeks to calm down enough to allow him a healthy finish to the season.

“It’s nice to let things rest,” Myers said. “I can get my arm right. I can get my back right. Then when I come back, I’m fully healthy and full refreshed.”

Myers was pulled from Monday’s game – after he hit his first homer of the season – with what was believed to be a muscular issue in his right triceps. Upon a closer look with an arm specialist, Myers said he learned that an out-of-place nerve made him feel as if “a lightning bolt” was shooting through his arm on throws and during his swing.


Myers also missed one game in spring training with a sore arm that cropped up during outfield throwing drills. He said Wednesday that the current arm issue was not related to transitioning from first base to the outfield — to accommodate Eric Hosmer’s arrival — as he missed a game last year with a similar injury.

“I don’t know exactly how this happened,” said Myers, who had started 303 games the last two years at first base. “I just know one throw and a couple swings I had really set it off. This has nothing to do with because I’m throwing now in the outfield. It’s just a fluke thing. I had it last year. This has nothing to do with the outfield.”

Myers hopes his current stay on the disabled list is short enough to avoid a minor league rehab stint. He is eligible to return April 13.

In the meantime, Myers will take a few days off from throwing and swinging but plans to track pitches – velocity and spin – during down time that will also allow him to rest his back.


Before the arm injury popped up, Myers was pulled during the second game of the season with a tightness in his lower back and missed Saturday’s game altogether.

“I think what’s best is to give it a few days to get back to where it needs to go,” said Myers, who is 3-for-12 with a homer to start 2018. “It’s early in the season. I feel like for me if I can get these days to get this right, to get my back right, to finish the last 148-49 games completely healthy is the right move.”

The roster move

To replace Myers on the roster, the Padres recalled right-hander Phil Maton from Triple-A El Paso.

The 25-year-old went 3-2 with a 4.19 ERA, 46 strikeouts and a 1.28 WHIP in 43 innings last year out of the bullpen. Ironing out his splits – 1.57 ERA at home and 7.20 on the road – is a focus as he rejoins the roster for his sophomore season, he said.


Minor league rotations

The minor league season starts on Thursday for the full-season affiliates in Fort Wayne, Lake Elsinore, San Antonio and El Paso. Here are how those teams’ rotations – in order – will start the season (Fort Wayne and Lake Elsinore are again in six-man rotations to help managed workloads).

Triple-A El Paso: LHP Eric Lauer, RHP Walker Lockett, RHP Brett Kennedy, RHP Chris Huffman, RHP Kyle Lloyd.

LHP Eric Lauer, RHP Walker Lockett, RHP Brett Kennedy, RHP Chris Huffman, RHP Kyle Lloyd. Double-A San Antonio: RHP Cal Quantrill, LHP Logan Allen, RHP Miguel Diaz, LHP Jerry Keel, RHP Jesse Scholtens.

RHP Cal Quantrill, LHP Logan Allen, RHP Miguel Diaz, LHP Jerry Keel, RHP Jesse Scholtens. High Single-A Lake Elsinore: RHP Lake Bachar, LHP Adrian Morejon, RHP Reggie Lawson, RHP Pedro Avila, RHP Ronald Bolanos, RHP Emmanuel Ramirez.

RHP Lake Bachar, LHP Adrian Morejon, RHP Reggie Lawson, RHP Pedro Avila, RHP Ronald Bolanos, RHP Emmanuel Ramirez. Low Single-A Fort Wayne: LHP Nick Margevicius, LHP Aaron Leasher, RHP Mason Thompson, LHP Osvaldo Hernandez, LHP Tom Cosgrove, LHP MacKenzie Gore.

Extra bases

CF Manuel Margot is out of the lineup for the first time this season. Padres manager Andy Green characterized it as “just a day to breathe.” Margot is 2-for-20 with three walk and four strikeouts to start the season. In his place – and without Myers available – Jose Pirela was in right field as the leadoff hitter and Matt Szczur received his first start of the year (center field, No. 7 seven spot).

is out of the lineup for the first time this season. Padres manager characterized it as “just a day to breathe.” Margot is 2-for-20 with three walk and four strikeouts to start the season. In his place – and without Myers available – was in right field as the leadoff hitter and received his first start of the year (center field, No. 7 seven spot). CF Franchy Cordero (groin) could go out on a rehab assignment soon now that the minor league season begins Thursday.

TODAY’S LINEUPS

Game 3️⃣ vs. Rockies at 7:10pm tonight with @Villa_at_3B on the hot corner and batting cleanup! Here’s the full lineup: pic.twitter.com/uC8ooSjxhq — San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 4, 2018

PITCHING MATCHUP | Rockies at Padres

Game 3: 7:10 p.m. Wednesday


Rockies RHP Jon Gray (0-1, 6.75 ERA)

He allowed three runs on six hits and three walks in four innings in his season debut against the Diamondbacks. Gray was 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA, 22 strikeouts and a 1.06 WHIP in three starts (17 IP) last year against the Padres.

Padres LHP Clayton Richard (0-0, 1.29 ERA)

The 34-year-old vet limited the opposition to a run in seven innings on opening day. In 2017, Richard allowed 17 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings (6.75 ERA) over four starts against Colorado – but only three earned runs during his two Petco Park starts against the Rockies (2.08 ERA).

On deck

Thursday: Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (0-0, 27.00) vs. Padres LHP Joey Lucchesi (0-0, 5.79), 12:40 p.m.


Padres Videos × On Now Padres pitcher Chris Paddack on start vs. Mariners and possibility of making rotation On Now Meet the Padres: Ian Kinsler 5:18 On Now Catching up with Padres OF Franmil Reyes 5:18 On Now Meet The Padres: Greg Garcia 5:11 On Now Catching up with Padres reliever Craig Stammen 5:33 On Now Meet the Padres: Logan Allen 6:23 On Now Meet The Padres: Manny Machado 9:08 On Now Meet The Padres: Chris Paddack 5:08 On Now Three things that stood out from Machado's first day with the Padres 1:53 On Now Padres manager Andy Green on Machado joining his roster

jeff.sanders@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutSanders