Notes: Darvish debuts; Lamet throws sliders

It would be tempting, when you own a fastball like Yu Darvish's, to simply throw it all the time. Even at 34, Darvish has a four-seamer that sits around 95-96 mph, with significant late life. It's a really, really good pitch.

But Darvish, in all of his veteran savvy, has found a much better use for a fastball like that. It's merely one of about seven different offerings that he uses regularly, and it's become a de facto putaway pitch.

That electric swing-and-miss fastball was on full display Sunday as Darvish aced his Padres spring debut in his team's 4-3 loss to the Royals at Peoria Stadium. He pitched two scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing just one hit. Two of those Ks came with the four-seamer.

• Predicting Padres' 2021 Opening Day roster

"A lot of the hitters are looking for offspeed when they face me," Darvish said through a team interpreter after the game. "That's why maybe the fastball works."

That's Darvish's pitching style in a nutshell. For Padres fans who didn't watch much of him before the December deal that brought him to San Diego, it's time to get used to that very distinct pitching style. There's no such thing as a fastball count with Darvish. He threw four-seamers far more frequently when he was ahead in counts last season than when he was behind.

"A lot of times, it plays backwards from what people would like to see," pitching coach Larry Rothschild said earlier in camp. "But I think it's highly effective, and he's gotten comfortable in his own skin with that. For me to get in the way of that would be a big mistake."

On Sunday, Darvish used his cutter and slider expertly to get ahead. Then, it was lights out. (Never a good idea to fall behind against Darvish -- not with the dizzying array of weapons at his disposal.)

Darvish struck out three in the first inning, using his curve for the first, his fastball for the second and his splitter -- which he's been working on with fellow Japanese pitching icon and Padres special advisor Hideo Nomo -- for the third.

It was an early glimpse into the arsenal that took Darvish to a second-place finish in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2020 and a 2.01 ERA. Darvish is a nine-year veteran, but the way he sees it, he's never been better.

"Just looking back at my whole career, I think I'm at my best right now," Darvish said.

Based on recent results, it'd be hard to argue.

Sliders for Lamet
Good day all around for Padres aces.

Right-hander Dinelson Lamet threw a simulated inning on a back field at the Peoria Sports Complex on Sunday. According to those in attendance, Lamet threw 20-25 pitches, with his fastball sitting in the mid-90s and touching 98 mph.

Most important: Lamet used his slider -- easily his top weapon -- against opposing hitters for the first time since he sustained an elbow injury in his final start of the 2020 season. Lamet threw four to six sliders to go along with a few changeups, and, according to one person in attendance, he looked, "Like Lamet."

"He had a really, really good day and reported coming out of it feeling really well," said Padres manager Jayce Tingler. "So we'll keep moving forward."

It was unquestionably an encouraging step for the right-hander, who posted a franchise single-season record 2.09 ERA last season and finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting. But Lamet still faces something of an uphill climb to crack the Opening Day roster.

Last week, Lamet indicated that isn't exactly a goal of his.

"It's going to be an ongoing discussion with our medical team, and I think that's a good thing," Lamet said on Tuesday after facing hitters for the first time. "We have really good communication on the subject, and we're taking everything day by day. I know I'm going to be ready to help in the season. But at the same time I want to make sure that I'm progressing well. That's really the stance that we've been taking.

"Once I join the team and once I'm ready to go and once I'm pitching, I don't want to go backwards."

If Lamet's arm bounces back well from Sunday's sim game, the next step, presumably, would be to pitch in a Cactus League game.

Worth noting
• Trent Grisham and Eric Hosmer got on the board Sunday with their first home runs of Spring Training. Grisham's was a leadoff blast that snuck inside the right-field foul pole at Peoria Stadium. Hosmer went deep to the opposite field -- typically a sign that he's feeling good at the plate.

• Right-hander Austin Adams plunked the first batter he faced, but otherwise had a strong spring debut, working a scoreless seventh inning with a pair of strikeouts. Adams is a heavy favorite for a spot in the bullpen. If he can showcase some improved control this spring, he could make a case for high-leverage innings during the season.

• The Padres have their first Cactus League off-day Monday. Left-hander Blake Snell would have been slated to throw on normal rest Monday but instead will start Tuesday against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch. Left-hander MacKenzie Gore, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Padres’ top prospect, will face the Rockies on Wednesday.