Five thoughts: Despaigne back in rotation

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.

For the second time this season, Odrisamer Despaigne will move from the bullpen to take the place of an injured teammate in the Padres' rotation.

This time, the right-hander will be working in Brandon Morrow's slot on Thursday. Morrow was placed on the disabled list retroactive to Sunday with inflammation in his right shoulder.

The first time, Despaigne made two starts for Ian Kennedy when Kennedy was out April 10-25 with a mild left hamstring strain. Despaigne went 2-0 with a 1.97 ERA in those two starts -- three runs allowed on eight hits and four walks with eight strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.

Despaigne's best outing came on April 14 at Petco Park against the same Arizona Diamondbacks that he will be facing Thursday at Chase Field. On April 14, he allowed one run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts over seven innings.

Despaigne is expected to make at least two starts before Morrow returns. Despaigne's ERA in four relief appearances this season is 6.39.

From the scorebook

• First baseman Yonder Alonso is 6-for-12 in his past three starts, with two doubles and two RBIs, to rebound from a 1-for-18 slump. Alonso, who missed the first two games in San Francisco after being hit high on his back by a pitch last Sunday, is hitting. 341 with a .430 on-base percentage -- respectively, the fifth- and seventh-best marks in the National League.

• Shortstop Alexi Amarista was 3-for-5 Wednesday afternoon after going 0-for-15 in his previous four games. Wednesday's three-hit game got his season batting average to .206.

• Left fielder Justin Upton's five-game hitting streak (9-for-19 with a homer, two doubles and seven RBIs) ended with Wednesday's 0-for-2 showing in San Francisco. But Upton drew four walks and scored twice, and he has reached base in seven of his past eight games, going 10-for-28 with two doubles, two homers, eight RBIs, eight runs, five walks and four steals.

• Right fielder Matt Kemp is 1-for-16 in his past four games and 6-for-37 over his past nine games to drop his batting average to .291. He has been hit twice with pitches during the slump.