SAN DIEGO -- The names are the same, but the Padres' catching competition looks very different from what it looked like when Spring Training was shut down on March 12.

Consider these two factors:

1. The presence of a designated hitter in the National League fundamentally alters the Austin Hedges/Francisco Mejía dynamic, because it's suddenly possible to start both.

2. With Opening Day rosters expanding to 30 players, there might be room for the Padres to carry Luis Torrens as a third catcher, impacting how they use subs to get the most out of Hedges and Mejía.

"Mejía and Hedges, right now they’re battling for playing time, honestly," Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. "They've both played really well … and a guy that keeps chugging along and pushing them is Torrens. All three of the guys are playing well, which is what you want to see. We’re going to have difficult decisions -- who to go with, and do we go with two or do we go with three?"

The debate is still centered around the same question, of course. Is Hedges' glove or Mejía's bat more valuable? But the Padres are optimistic that Hedges has made strides offensively and that Mejía is beginning to emerge as a solid defensive option, too.

Hedges was worth 21 Defensive Runs Saved last season, by far the most among catchers in the National League, and he remains the early favorite because of his glovework. Without a pitcher's spot in the lineup, the Padres seem slightly less concerned about the impact of a career .201 hitter. The dropoff in production isn’t as glaring without a pitcher hitting behind him, and the Padres will have plenty of opportunities to pinch-hit when necessary.

Still, Tingler was quick say, "He's got to get on base."

Added Hedges: "If I'm hitting ninth, it's my job to get [Fernando Tatis Jr.] up."

Ultimately, the Padres aren't likely to employ an "everyday" catcher behind the plate. Hedges and Mejía will share time this season, and that decision will change on a day-to-day basis. Mejía isn't currently the favorite for DH reps, but if both catchers are performing well, that's also an option.

"It's about winning ballgames," Hedges said. "I know Franky helps this team win ballgames, and I know I help this team win ballgames. The better we are at communicating, the better we are as catchers, as hitters, as [complete] players, the better this team's going to be."

Surprise six for Paddack

The Padres had planned for Chris Paddack to throw five innings in Sunday afternoon's intrasquad game, but the right-hander was so crisp and efficient that he earned himself an extra frame. Paddack worked six innings and finished somewhere close to his scheduled 75-pitch mark.

"He was sharp. He was aggressive. He got some weak contact, and we made some plays," Tingler said.

Paddack remains the Padres' projected Opening Day starter. Lining up the team's current every-six-days rotation, he would make one more intrasquad start before getting the ball on July 24 against Arizona. (Yes, the Padres are currently lining up their pitchers every sixth day in camp, but they still expect to use a five-man staff for the regular season.)

Pham plays left

For the first time as a Padre, Tommy Pham played the outfield during Sunday's intrasquad game. He spent the entirety of Spring Training as a designated hitter while battling the lingering effects of a UCL strain he suffered in 2019.

That injury has since healed, but Pham missed the first week of camp after a positive coronavirus test during intake screening. Pham returned to camp on Friday after passing league protocols. Despite the presence of a DH in National League lineups this season, Pham still projects as the team's everyday left fielder, and that's the way he prefers it.

"Personally I really don't like DH'ing, because I believe I can make an impact on defense to help the team win," Pham said.

Worth noting

• Hedges apologized to the team last month after photos emerged of him on social media attending a pool party without social distancing measures in place. He addressed it with media for the first time on Monday afternoon, saying: "It's new for everybody, any sort of pandemic, any sort of thing like this. What are you supposed to do? Sadly, in a lot of situations in life where you haven't been through it, it takes failing at it to learn from it. I obviously made a mistake, and I've learned from it. I'm not going to do that again."

• Ty France remains the Padres' emergency catcher, but he might prove slightly more valuable than a typical emergency catcher, and the Padres have chosen to give him a few extra practice reps behind the plate. For different reasons, Mejía and Hedges are candidates to be subbed late in games. That leaves France closer to seeing time behind the plate. Tingler also noted the scenario that France could serve as catcher after a pinch-runner replaces either Hedges or Mejía in extra innings.

• Second baseman Jurickson Profar played left field after Pham on Sunday, with Tingler's thinking being, "We don't know what's going to happen, so ... just trying to think through scenarios." Still, it's possible that Profar's presence there impacts the outfield race. The Padres are currently mulling whether to carry four or five primary outfielders.