SAN DIEGO -- Alex Dickerson is confident that the right hip contusion he sustained during a first-inning collision with Travis Jankowski on Friday night won't keep him out more than a few days.
"Just sore," he said Saturday. "Hoping to be just in and out in a few days. First day after landing like that, it's just bruised up. It will be a little sore for hopefully a couple days like I said."
While Dickerson is obviously disappointed with the timing of this injury, he doesn't anticipate the few days off the field will impact a swing that has netted him home runs in four straight games before Friday's game against the Reds.
"It's frustrating, but I'm confident as soon as it feels good that I'll be able to get that right back," he said. "Mechanically, it [swing] was very sound the last week or so, felt good with my timing. I'm pretty sure that's not going to go right away.
"I've had some keys that were really working for me. ... [I] think that's going to play out well whenever I get back on the field."
Dickerson was handed the keys to the starting left field job after a trade that sent Melvin Upton Jr. to the Blue Jays, and has posted a .303/.343/.621 triple slash during the month of July, which includes 17 starts.
"He's been doing such a good job it hurt to lose him in the first inning yesterday," said Padres manager Andy Green. "But we'll get him back here soon."
Padres hoping change of scenery is good for Cosart
With Jarred Cosart flying in to San Diego and being placed on the 25-man roster Saturday, Green is hoping that the 26-year-old righty will benefit from a new organization. The team is looking to unlock something that will allow him to improve on the 5.95 ERA he's posted this season, similar to what they accomplished with Drew Pomeranz.
"There were a lot of people out there in the industry saying he was going to be an ace," Green said. "Top of the rotation type arm. It hasn't materialized that way, but I think you only have to look all the way across baseball to see guys that end up realizing their full potential in another organization.
"Whether it's another pitching coach that impacts them, whether it's just a change of scenery that impacts them, or whether it's just maturity in general that impacts them. I think the hope for us, for him, is that he eventually realizes the potential that he does have."
Green said that Cosart was to throw a bullpen session closer to game time Saturday so pitching coach Darren Balsley could a look at him, but he did say that Cosart brought a "live arm" and an "outstanding curve ball" to the table.
Cosart will need to lower his walk rate to find consistent success -- he walked 16 batters in 19 2/3 innings with the Marlins this season -- but is expected to get every opportunity to do so in this San Diego rotation.
"It's all predicated on how well they throw the baseball," Green said. "What they show us, what we believe about their future. The opportunity is there to seize, and I know that Darren Balsley and [bullpen coach] Doug Bochtler are going to be with them every step of the way to help them capitalize on it."