Notes: Lamet to start Wednesday; Nola

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres’ pitching staff has been strong to start the 2021 season. The starting pitchers entered Monday fifth in the Majors in ERA (2.58) and second in batting average allowed (.177).

On Wednesday, the Friars’ rotation will get another talented arm back from injury.

Dinelson Lamet, who has been building up arm strength after an ulnar collateral ligament strain in his right elbow, will make his 2021 debut Wednesday with a start against the Brewers. Manager Jayce Tingler made the announcement following the Padres' 3-1 loss to the Brewers on Monday.

• Musgrove strikes out career-high 13

“It’s going to be a nice pickup in that clubhouse just to have his presence in there,” Tingler said.

Lamet will be monitored during his debut and will be limited to 75-80 pitches. Tingler added that game flow could dictate how long Lamet’s first outing is.

“So, I don’t expect to make huge leaps from what [Lamet] has been doing,” Tingler said. “At the same time, I don't want to cap it at a certain hard number.”

Lamet was a force for the Padres a season ago. The Dominican-born pitcher posted a 3-1 record with a 2.09 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 69 innings in the shortened 2020 season. The performance was good for a fourth-place finish in the National League Cy Young Award voting.

Padres starter Joe Musgrove said he is excited to see Lamet pitch in real game action after only being able to see him pitch in limited Cactus League action during the spring.

“I'm really excited to just get a true look at him in a game competition,” Musgrove said. “I'm just really excited to have him back up here with us and to be able to learn a little bit from him. He's got some pitches that are elite that I'm trying to sharpen up, so being able to be with him on a regular basis is going to help me a lot, too.”

Nola to see game action
Catcher Austin Nola is set to return to game action at the Padres’ alternate training site in Arizona as he continues to rehab from a fractured middle finger on his left hand. Nola had a recent CT scan that was encouraging.

Nola has thrown to the bases and was cleared to take batting practice. Now he has a green light for games. Tingler said Nola’s workload will be based on how quickly the backstop can get back in to the groove.

“We’ll kind of wait and see how the rhythm and timing goes,” Tingler said, “but we’re really encouraged that finally we’re at the stage where he hadn’t had any setbacks and the doctors feel like he can’t injure it or it can’t get worse.

“It’s going to be a matter of playing through pain.”

Focused Friars
The Padres are coming off a dramatic and emotional series against the division-rival Dodgers. After going 1-2 in the three-game series, San Diego will open a four-game rematch series at Dodger Stadium on Thursday.

But even with the second Dodgers series in sight, Tingler and the Padres have focused on this week. The Brewers have power arms like Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes to take the mound in the three-game set.

The Brewers also come in with one of the Majors’ best starting rotations -- No. 1 in ERA (2.07) and opponents’ batting average (.174).

“We recognized that starting with the Dodgers series going into this one, we believe we’re getting legit 1s and 2s [level starters],” Tingler said. “We’re getting playoff-type-caliber guys you’ll be seeing in those settings.”

Grisham sits
Center fielder Trent Grisham (left quad tightness) was out of the lineup for the second straight game.