PEORIA, Ariz. -- Brett Wallace hasn't played in a Cactus League game since March 13, but the Padres' backup first baseman should be ready in time to crack the club's Opening Day roster.
Wallace has been sidelined with a sore right foot, and the Padres are planning to hold him out for the rest of big league Spring Training. Doing so would keep open the option of backdating a potential disabled list stint. But Wallace is playing in Minor League games, and he has resumed running the bases.
"Every anticipation I have is that he's going to break with us on Opening Day," manager Andy Green said on Monday. "Obviously he hasn't seen a lot of Cactus League play. I don't think we're the only team that does stuff like that at the end, when you can backdate the DL ... I think it might just be in our best interest to continue to get him at-bats on the Minor League side."
Wallace was hitting .353 this spring (6-for-17) with one homer. He figures to serve as a power bat off the Padres' bench, specifically against right-handed pitchers. Wallace batted 304/.385/.565 against righties and led the National League with a 1.138 OPS as a pinch-hitter (minimum 20 at-bats) last season.
Edwards down with mild elbow stiffness
The Padres are being cautious with right-handed reliever Jon Edwards, who is experiencing some mild elbow stiffness.
Edwards, who has a 5.14 ERA in seven outings this spring, has not pitched since March 19.
"He feels pretty good, but we're not trying to push him through anything," Green said. "He's not as free and easy in the elbow as he'd like it to be."
Edwards was in the mix for one of the Padres' final bullpen spots, but the injury setback puts his chances to make the Opening Day roster in serious doubt.
Dominguez reassigned to Minors
The Padres re-assigned catcher Rocky Gale and right-handed pitchers Jose Dominguez, Daniel McCutchen and Phil Humber to Minor League camp on Monday, trimming their current roster to 38 players.
Perhaps the most notable of the cuts was Dominguez, who turned heads this spring with his velocity and his poise on the mound. The 25-year-old right-hander opened Spring training with seven consecutive scoreless innings, allowing just five hits in that time. But he was knocked around on Sunday, surrendering four runs on four hits in two-thirds of a frame.
When asked whether Dominguez could find his way onto the big league roster at some point this summer, Green said, "Without a doubt." But he added that Dominguez needs further work on his changeup and curveball.
"He's traditionally been just like, 'Hey here comes the 97 [mph fastball].' If he can add those two pitches to the mix where they become effective pitches, he's a guy to watch out for this season," Green said.