Machado talks about playing until he's 40, missing Tatis 

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Ten years down, 10 more to go. The way Manny Machado sees it, he's only halfway done.

"I mean, just being out on the field every single day, it's a blessing," Machado said. "It's what I love to do. That's what I love to do, and I would love to continue to do it ‘til I'm 40. Hopefully another 10 years, maybe even more than that."

Machado, who will turn 30 in July, says he hasn't taken much time to think about his legacy. But if the next 10 years are anything like the first 10, he's on a Hall of Fame trajectory. Machado has already amassed 251 homers, 1,425 hits and 45.2 career WAR.

Machado talked with reporters for the first time this spring on Wednesday. He spoke of his excitement to get to work under new manager Bob Melvin. He also threw his full support behind injured teammate Fernando Tatis Jr.

"Obviously the situation sucks, and it's going to suck right now," Machado said. "We're going to be missing a big, big part of our organization. Ultimately, he needs to get healthy, he needs to be ready. When he does put on that uniform, we’re going to be in a good situation, in a good place to help him get back on his feet so he can take us where we need to get to.”

Machado is entering the fourth season of what was then a record-setting 10-year deal with the Padres, having amassed a .273/.345/.492 slash line in San Diego.

This spring, Machado appears to have picked up where he left off. On Tuesday, his first live at-bat on a back field resulted in a double off the center-field wall. On Wednesday, he doubled off the wall again.

“He’s one of those guys that I think could wake up in December and hit,” Melvin quipped. “He’s just one of the premier players in the game, and he makes everything look easy.”

Gore goes first

Pitching prospect MacKenzie Gore will take the ball first when the Padres open their Cactus League slate against the Mariners on Friday. Gore, once the game's top overall pitching prospect and ranked as the club's No. 4 prospect by MLB Pipeline, has struggled over the past couple seasons, particularly with his command. He has yet to earn a big league breakthrough.

But Gore, as the Padres are quick to point out, only recently turned 23. He worked with new pitching coach Ruben Nielba before the lockout, honing his mechanics, and the coaching staff has been impressed with the way he's arrived at camp, sporting better command and a fastball in the upper 90s.

"He's already thrown a two-inning simulated game," Melvin said. "He's had a bullpen as well. He's ready to go. He came into camp, had quite an offseason where he was throwing quite a bit, and it was an easy [decision] to get him out there first."

Paddack faces hitters

Chris Paddack pitched two simulated innings in a back-field game on Wednesday, allowing one hit and striking out four while facing a handful of Minor League non-roster invitees. The first of those strikeouts came via curveball, which has been a heavy focus for Paddack, who is determined as ever to see himself as a three-pitch pitcher.

"That was my focus two offseasons ago," Paddack said. "It was still my focus going into this offseason. Just being consistent with it. ... For good hitters not to be able to eliminate that pitch is going to be huge for me."

Paddack is a favorite for the No. 5 starter spot. Other contenders include Gore, Ryan Weathers and the newly signed Nick Martínez. (Weathers followed Paddack with two simulated innings of his own).

Coming off a UCL sprain that ended his 2021 season prematurely, Paddack began his throwing program later than usual this spring. He says his arm feels great, and he's faced hitters a couple times at a local high school and community college in Texas before arriving in Peoria over the weekend.

"You can't simulate this adrenaline though,” said Paddack, all smiles, moments after he’d completed his second inning.

Notables

• Blake Snell threw his first bullpen of camp on Wednesday, the last of the Padres' projected starting five to do so. Melvin had noted previously that Snell was likely to be eased along a bit slower -- not relating to any injury, merely because Snell's progression is typically a bit more methodical.

Said Snell: "Definitely don't want to rush it. I'll be ready."

• The Padres have a bit of a logjam at catcher, with Austin Nola, Victor Caratini, Jorge Alfaro and Luis Campusano all vying for playing time. Melvin said all four would share reps somewhat evenly this spring.

One interesting item on that front: Melvin noted that Caratini may not serve as Yu Darvish's personal catcher this season, with the Padres preferring to be a bit more flexible and adaptable offensively. Caratini caught all 30 of Darvish's starts after both arrived from the Cubs via trade the previous offseason.