Notes: Paddack's rough night; Pham; Tatis

MESA, Ariz. -- It was a scene straight out of Chris Paddack's 2020 season -- the season he has been working tirelessly to move past.

Paddack retired the first two hitters in the second inning of the Padres' 8-2 loss to the Cubs on Wednesday night. Then he allowed an opposite-field single to Chicago pitcher Kyle Hendricks. And his night unraveled.

Ian Happ followed with a single. Willson Contreras launched a towering home run. Anthony Rizzo took a changeup off his foot. No sooner had Paddack thrown ball four to Kris Bryant than his night was done -- 1 2/3 innings, four runs, four hits, three walks.

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"It brings back last year a little bit," Paddack said afterward. "There were some starts I had success and some starts I didn't make it out of the second inning. ... You look at the elite pitchers in the league, they're going to get to the fifth, sixth inning, even if they let up those runs, instead of letting that second inning kind of snowball."

Of course, a poor outing on March 17 should hardly be an indicator of what's to come. Paddack's spring started very promisingly -- with seven innings of one-run ball and only one walk across his first three outings. Wednesday offered his first setback.

After his outing, Paddack retreated to the right-field bullpen to throw another simulated inning. He was scheduled to pitch three to four innings -- and that's what irked Paddack most. Not the Hendricks single. Not even the Contreras home run.

"If I let up four -- which, I'm going to let up four runs again in my career -- instead of getting pulled ... I want to get to the sixth inning and give my team a chance to win," Paddack said. "I feel like that's the difference between average pitchers in the big leagues and aces."

Pham breaks through
Remember Tommy Pham's slow start to Spring Training? It's starting to feel like ancient history already.

After starting the spring in an 0-for-17 rut, Pham has pounded out hits in seven of his last 13 at-bats, including a 3-for-3 night on Wednesday.

Pham, who suffers from a rare eye disorder called keratoconus, dealt with an issue pertaining to his contact lenses early in camp. He appears to have worked past that obstacle.

"The difference is the contact lenses," manager Jayce Tingler said. "He's starting to find a set that he's feeling better with, and he's starting to get more reps."

Tatis back Thursday
Fernando Tatis Jr. went through a full workout on Wednesday and is expected to return to the lineup for Thursday's game against the A's at Peoria Stadium, Tingler said.

Tatis was banged up a bit after a headfirst dive into home plate on Saturday, though he didn't sustain any specific injury. That slide came after Tatis had missed six days because of the flu, and the team has decided to play it slowly with their shortstop phenom.

The Padres aren't too concerned about Tatis' readiness for the season. He has reached base in eight of his 15 plate appearances, including a pair of home runs.

Williams exits early
Right-hander Taylor Williams had his night cut short after an awkward play to end the sixth inning. Covering first base on a ground ball, Williams was forced to dive for Jake Cronenworth's throw, and he landed hard on his left shoulder.

Upon returning to the dugout after the play, Williams told Padres staff that he felt OK. But when he re-emerged to pitch the seventh inning, his shoulder tightened up on him, Tingler said. Williams, who is vying for one of the final places in the Padres' bullpen, will be re-evaluated on Thursday.

It's the latest in a growing list of setbacks for the Padres' relief corps. Pierce Johnson exited his outing on Tuesday because of groin tightness. Javy Guerra (UCL sprain) and Matt Strahm (right patellar tendon surgery) are slated to miss Opening Day, and José Castillo will miss the season following Tommy John surgery.