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Most preseason analysis of the San Diego Padres centered on a star-filled core while pointing out potential depth problems.

That depth might get tested sooner than the Padres would like, beginning with Sunday’s series finale with the visiting Atlanta Braves.

San Diego might be shooting for a four-game sweep without third baseman Manny Machado, who left Saturday’s 1-0 win after his fourth inning at-bat with right calf tightness. Machado appeared to wince in pain after two swings, then barely jogged to first on his flyout to right.

Manager Mike Shildt said that Machado cramped during the fourth inning and that he believes Machado will be fine. But if Machado has to miss time, it would mark the fourth straight season that he would need to deal with injuries.

In 2023, it was a tennis elbow that at times limited his availability in the field. He had surgery after the 2023 season, and the recovery lingered into 2024. In 2022, it was a left-ankle injury that hampered him at times but not enough to keep him from finishing second in Most Valuable Player voting.

“Obviously, there’s going to be bumps and bruises,” Machado said in spring training, talking about the grind of a season. “I think that’s just the beauty of baseball.”

Should Machado be sidelined, Jose Iglesias is the likely replacement. He played the final five innings of Saturday’s game in his first action with the Padres this weekend and was 0-for-2. Iglesias signed with San Diego earlier this month after hitting .337 in 2024 for the New York Mets.

Another offseason signee, Nick Pivetta, makes his Padres debut on the mound. Pivetta went 6-12 with a 4.14 earned run average last year in 27 games (26 starts) and 145 2/3 innings for Boston, striking out 172 batters. He faced the Braves frequently as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies and is 8-5 with a 4.93 ERA in 21 career outings (17 starts) against Atlanta.

While San Diego tries for a sweep, the Braves hope to salvage a victory from their long weekend before heading north on Interstate 5 for a three-game series with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. They’ll send A.J. Smith-Shawver to the mound.

The hard-throwing right-hander hasn’t faced the Padres in a regular season game but did start Game 1 of Atlanta’s National League wild-card series in San Diego last October. He lasted only 1 1/3 innings in a 4-0 loss, allowing a two-run homer to Fernando Tatis Jr. and being charged with three runs.

An inability to convert runners in scoring position into actual runs has plagued the Braves in the series. They have one hit in three games with men at second or third. It was fitting that Saturday’s loss ended with rookie Drake Baldwin looking at a called third strike with the potential tying run at third.

Manager Brian Snitker isn’t fretting — yet — about the struggles with men on base.

“I didn’t realize it was like that,” he said after Atlanta’s 4-3 loss on Friday night. “It feels better than that. I think on the back end of that, if we can continue this, it will be really good. Everything will even out. We’ll get it going.”

–Field Level Media