SAN DIEGO -- When Jabari Blash was designated for assignment in May, it was unclear if he would ever return to Petco Park in a Padres uniform.
He'll get to do so on Sunday.
In the wake of Matt Kemp being dealt to Atlanta, the Padres will recall Blash before their contest against the Reds. Blash, a slugging 27-year-old outfielder, was hitting .260/.415/.514 with 11 homers for Triple-A El Paso this season.
As a Rule 5 selection, Blash had to be offered back to Seattle, his former club, when he was designated in May. At the time, it seemed as though he was set for a return to his former organization. But the Padres worked out a trade, allowing him to remain with the club.
"As a Rule 5 guy, with a crowded outfield, you're not going to get a lot of opportunity," said Padres general manager A.J. Preller. "This guy's still shown at the Triple-A level ... he's been able to get on base and hit the ball out of the ballpark. He'll get an opportunity here."
Blash is best known for his combination of power and patience, but he received scarce playing time at the big league level this season and batted just .120 with one extra-base hit.
It appears as though he'll get a serious opportunity this time around. With Kemp gone and left fielder Alex Dickerson nursing a right-hip contusion, Blash will be in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Cincinnati.
"When we got him, we wanted to find a window of opportunity to actually get him on the baseball field," said Padres manager Andy Green. "We liked his power, we liked his patience, the combination. This is his window of opportunity to capitalize on it."
Worth noting
• Preller said Chris Paddack, the Padres' No. 8 prospect according to MLB.com, has a tear in his UCL. The 20-year-old right-hander is likely headed for Tommy John surgery.
The Padres acquired Paddack a month ago in the trade that sent veteran reliever Fernando Rodney to Miami. He had tossed 14 strong innings for Class A Fort Wayne, allowing just one run, while striking out 23.