Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
The question is not if Yangervis Solarte is returning to the Padres.
It's just a matter of when. The answer is soon.
The third baseman is 5-for-7 with a double, two triples, two RBIs and three runs scored in two rehab starts for Triple-A El Paso.
Padres manager Andy Green said Friday afternoon that Solarte could rejoin the Padres as soon as Sunday and that he would be re-evaluated after Friday's game with the Chihuahuas in El Paso. Solarte went 3-for-3 with a double and a triple while playing both second and third by design.
"When he comes back, Solarte will be playing a lot, although we're not going to run him out there seven straight days," said Green. "We want to be protective of that hamstring."
Solarte has been on the disabled list since April 10 with a strained right hamstring. When he was injured, Solarte was off to a 6-for-16 start with three doubles and four RBIs. He was also hitting fifth in the Padres' batting order.
"Solarte is a very important part of this team," said Green. "We have missed him."
NOTES FROM THE SCOREBOOK:
• Left fielder Melvin Upton Jr.'s walk-off home run Friday night in the 7-6 win over the Dodgers was his second of the season. In the history of the Padres, only five players have hit two walk-off homers in a season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the other four were John Jeter (1972), Bruce Bochy (1986), Darrin Jackson (1992) and Scott Hairston (2007). It was the sixth walk-off homer and 10th walk-off hit of Upton's career.
• Both of the Padres walk-off wins this season have come on Upton homers. His first walk-off homer came in the 14th inning on April 16 against Arizona.
• Left-handed reliever Ryan Buchter struck out the side around a walk in the Dodgers seventh Friday night. Buchter's run of 17 1/3 straight scoreless innings is the longest active streak in the National League. During the run he has allowed five hits and nine walks with 24 strikeouts. He allowed his only run this season on April 8 and has a 0.45 ERA.
• The four walks drawn by Brett Wallace Friday night was his career-high. Infielder Adam Rosales drew three walks in the game, matching his career best. Each drew an intentional walk.