Playing two in row next step for Grandal

CLEVELAND -- If Yasmani Grandal gets the starts in either of the Padres' two games on Wednesday in Cleveland, he will have checked off yet another box in his remarkably quick recovery from anterior cruciate ligament surgery on his right knee just eight months ago.

To this point, Grandal hasn't caught consecutive games. He got the start Tuesday against the Indians. He'll likely get another start in one of the team's two games Wednesday.

"That's what we've been looking forward to. I don't know what Buddy is thinking right now. Hopefully I can get in a game and get that knee going two days in a row," Grandal said.

Does Grandal consider this the last hurdle in his recovery from knee surgery, one that had him back in the lineup a week shy of eight months?

"There's still going to be hurdles," he said. "Once we catch two [consecutive] games, then we've got to catch three. And it just keeps going from there. We're looking at a lot of benchmarks throughout this whole season. I want to stay healthy and keep the knee healthy."

The Padres are currently carrying three catchers on the roster -- Grandal, Nick Hundley and Rene Rivera. Grandal has started three times this season, Rivera twice and Hundley once.

Grandal said he was a little anxious to see how his knee responds to the cool weather in Cleveland. The temperature at game time on Tuesday was measured at 47 degrees. The high for Wednesday's doubleheader is expected to hit 44 degrees.

"This might not be the best for my knee because it's cold," Grandal said. "But then again, if there's ever a series where we can go back-to-back and challenge my knee, then it's this one."