Spring into action! Here are 6 storylines to watch at Padres camp

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PEORIA, Ariz. -- At long last, it’s baseball season.

Padres pitchers and catchers will hold their first Spring Training workout at the Peoria Sports Complex on Wednesday, with new manager Craig Stammen set to address the media today.

With Spring Training just about underway, here are the six major storylines that could dominate camp:

1) What’s next for A.J. Preller?
Preller, the Padres’ enigmatic and unpredictable general manager, prefers to slink around the Peoria Sports Complex back fields unnoticed. He’s usually wearing a bucket hat. Maybe shades and basketball shorts.

But he’ll be front and center this year -- and not merely because of the question marks on the roster.

Preller is entering his final season under contract. He and the Padres have expressed optimism for an extension, but they haven’t put pen to paper yet. Despite some ups and downs during his 11-year tenure, Preller has overseen the most successful era of Padres baseball. Until there’s a deal, his contractual situation is worth monitoring very closely.

2) Musgrove on his way back
Is there a more important Padre this season?

If Joe Musgrove is healthy and back to his usual standards, the Padres’ rotation is suddenly fearsome at the top, with Musgrove slotting alongside Nick Pivetta and Michael King to comprise a formidable front three.

But that’s a lot to ask of the 33-year-old Musgrove, who is returning from October 2024 Tommy John surgery. He says he’s “in a good position physically, mentally for the season.” But even still, Musgrove acknowledged he might need to be slow-played.

“I want to try to be as normal as possible,” Musgrove said recently, “keeping in the back of my mind that I need to be fresh and able to throw in October. So if that means skipping a start here or there or pushing me back a few days … I’m already at peace with having to do that if that means I get to throw in October.”

3) Is there enough in the rotation?
Ideally, it’s Pivetta, King and Musgrove at the front. Randy Vásquez has probably earned himself a place behind them. In theory, that leaves one spot available (though, with pitching, it’s rarely that simple).

JP Sears, Matt Waldron, Triston McKenzie and Marco Gonzales are among the pitchers vying for that fifth spot. There’s some upside there, and the Padres have done well finding back-of-the-rotation value under pitching coach (and now associate manager) Ruben Niebla.

But Preller and the Padres have also done well at finding rotation help after the start of camp -- as he’s done in each of the past four springs, with Sean Manaea, Michael Wacha, Dylan Cease and Pivetta, respectively.

4) The arrival (and fit) of Sung-Mun Song
The last time the Padres signed a star from the Korea Baseball Organization -- Ha-Seong Kim in 2021 -- it took time for Kim to acclimate. But once he did, he became indispensable.

Song is in a similar place. If there’s an acclimation period, the Padres don’t need to overwork him. They seemingly have enough depth to where he can play three or four times a week, getting exclusively favorable matchups.

But if the adjustment is quick -- and Song proves it in Spring Training -- there are regular at-bats to be had, particularly against right-handed pitching. The Padres are likely going to use Song all over the diamond, potentially even in the outfield as well. The more versatile Song is, the more prevalent those at-bats will be.

5) Is it (finally) time for a Campusano breakthrough?
Yes, we probably could have written this before any of the past three seasons. But this might just be Luis Campusano’s final shot. He’s out of options, at least, meaning if he doesn’t make the club, he’d be exposed to waivers.

By now, Campusano’s defensive limitations are clear. The Padres could stand to add another catcher to their mix this spring, so Campusano isn’t the primary backup. Still, if he can carry his outstanding offensive season at Triple-A last year into the Majors, there’s an opportunity for Campusano to earn playing time -- against left-handed pitching as a pinch-hitter and possibly even at DH.

6) The final 3-4 roster spots
The roster is largely set. The starting lineup sure seems to be, with Song and Miguel Andujar vying for at-bats while the other eight spots are settled.

Still, there’s one spot available in the rotation, one or two spots available in the bullpen (depending on Jason Adam’s health) and one or two more places on the bench.

Important players can emerge in the competition for those spots. There probably won’t be a Jackson Merrill -- a top prospect who dominates and forces his way onto the roster. But there could certainly be another Gavin Sheets. Or another Stammen. Remember, Stammen was once a non-roster invitee to Padres camp. He went on to spend seven seasons with the club -- and is now the manager.