With Song's status for Opening Day in doubt, Padres assessing options

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Before he exited a game last week with tightness in his right oblique, Sung-Mun Song was in the process of showing precisely why the Padres are so excited about his arrival.

Playing shortstop for the first time, he made an athletic play for a forceout on a ball that initially caromed off his glove. Shortly thereafter, he launched his first home run of Spring Training, a majestic 430-foot shot over the right-field bullpen at Peoria Stadium.

The Padres love the lefty bat. They love the glove. They love the versatility. They want to make sure they get lots of that this season.

Which, ultimately, is why Song might begin his Padres tenure on the injured list.

“We’ve got to play that [injury] really cautious,” said Padres manager Craig Stammen. “Because he had it, came back, got it again. It’s just one of those things -- we can’t have that happen the whole year. We’ve got to nip it in the bud right now.”

Opening Day in doubt

Song, a star KBO infielder who signed a four-year deal with the Padres in December, sustained an oblique injury during the offseason. It slowed his buildup early in camp, but eventually he was cleared.

Song had begun to impress the Padres with some of his adjustments, including a shortened leg kick to adjust to the velocity and movement he’ll see in the big leagues. He’d posted an .806 OPS in the Cactus League.

Then, his oblique barked. It wasn’t an acute recurrence of the injury, which would’ve indicated a much longer recovery timetable, but merely soreness stemming from the previous injury. But the Padres don’t want to take any chances of another acute oblique injury happening.

In the five days since, Song hasn’t done much other than receive treatment. He played light catch on Sunday, but hasn’t swung a bat and hasn’t taken part in fielding drills. With two weeks until the Padres break camp in Peoria, that would seem to cast doubt on his status for Opening Day.

“That’s just not how we look at it -- we’re going to get him right when he’s right,” Stammen said when asked about those Opening Day prospects.

Who could replace Song?

In all likelihood, Song wasn’t going to be a regular starter for the Padres. But he was lined up to be one of their most important bench pieces, given his versatility. He plays primarily second and third base. He also has a history at first and was learning shortstop. The club was planning on getting him some work in the outfield corners, as well.

Essentially, Song was expected to serve as the de facto backup at just about every position. The Padres don’t have another bench piece -- at least not with that kind of bat -- capable of filling that role.

Mason McCoy and Samad Taylor are options. But the Padres might not need someone to fill that precise role. Maybe they’d add to their bench in a different way...

Ty France’s opportunity?

The Padres signed France to a Minor League deal at the beginning of camp, shortly after they’d also brought Nick Castellanos and Miguel Andujar on board. At the time, there didn’t seem to be much room for another righty-hitting corner infielder.

But France is at least capable of playing second base. He’s also a Gold Glove Award winner at first -- and there are serious question marks surrounding the Padres’ other options at first base (though Stammen threw his support behind Castellanos’ continued transition to the position).

Most importantly, France is hitting this spring. He entered play Monday batting .375 with a .944 OPS. Stammen has hinted that he might have a preference for an offense-first bench. That could give France the edge over, say, McCoy.

If France can handle second, he’d give the Padres cover at both middle-infield spots, because Jake Cronenworth can slide to short. And perhaps France would otherwise serve as a late-game defensive replacement for whichever bat-first option gets the start at first base (Castellanos, Andujar or Gavin Sheets).

With Song’s injury, there suddenly appears to be a path to an Opening Day roster spot for France. Though Stammen cautioned about putting too much emphasis on that initial 26-man squad.

“The people that are on the roster on Opening Day aren’t always the people on the roster throughout the season,” he said. “We feel like we have a lot of depth, a lot of quality players. That’s going to get us through a 162-game season.”