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SAN FRANCISCO -- All season, Tyson Ross has served as the anchor of the San Diego rotation. Entering Thursday on a four-game losing streak, the Padres needed a big-time performance from their veteran right-hander.

They got one. But they didn't supply the offense.

Ross and Giants starter Madison Bumgarner dueled at AT&T Park, a head-to-head showdown that showcased the best of the two National League West stalwarts. In a 3-0 Padres loss, Bumgarner's fifth-inning sacrifice fly helped separate the two starters.

"You want to go toe-to-toe with the other guy, just give your team a chance to win," Ross said. "He was a little bit better tonight."

Ross threw seven innings of one-run ball, working quickly and down in the strike zone. He allowed four hits and struck out three before he was removed in the seventh for a pinch-hitter.

Video: SD@SF: Villanueva charges for a sweet barehanded stop

"He threw a great game today," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He definitely deserved a better fate."

The Giants tacked on two runs in the eighth against reliever Phil Maton. Meanwhile, Ross was a bit unlucky to even allow one. With a man on first in the fifth, Joe Panik snuck a soft-contact double barely inside the right-field line. Two batters later, Bumgarner lifted a fly ball to left, giving the Giants a 1-0 lead

Video: SD@SF: Bumgarner plates the 1st run with a sac fly

In the runs column, Bumgarner was only better than Ross because of his own offensive contribution. He went eight innings and allowed three hits and struck out eight. Only Manuel Margot solved him. The surging center fielder roped two doubles, one down each foul line.

"He didn't make many mistakes tonight," said left fielder Wil Myers, who went 0-for-3 with a walk in his return from the disabled list. "He mixed up his pitches more than he usually does."

It was the Padres' fifth straight loss, but Ross' effort could have some long-term effects. As an upcoming free agent this offseason, he's certain to be on the trade block when the non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches. Thursday offered the latest proof that he could be an effective starter for a contender.

Ross signed a Minor League deal with the Padres in December. At the time, it was probably fair that the rest of the baseball world was tentative. The 31-year-old missed nearly all of 2016 with shoulder troubles, and he struggled in '17 after surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome.

Over the first three months of this season, Ross has answered those questions. His ERA dipped to 3.34 on Thursday, and the Padres are 10-5 in his starts. He's commanding his fastball as well as he ever has, making his lights-out slider that much more effective.

"It's a more mature pitcher," Green said. "He was an All-Star then, so that's saying a lot. But he's grown, and he's worked incredibly hard to get back to where he is."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Stop sign: The Padres' best chance to score came in the fifth when Margot hit a liner that one-hopped the right-field wall. Jose Pirela, who led off with a single, attempted to score on the play, despite a stop sign from third-base coach Glenn Hoffman. Pirela was out by about 15 feet, and Bumgarner escaped with ease. With two outs, Bumgarner intentionally walked A.J. Ellis before striking out Ross on three pitches.

"He's hard-effort, max-effort all the time, and you love that," Green said of Pirela. "You don't want to ever take that away. But when you see a stop sign, you've got to turn that off. That's what it comes down to. He hadn't done that in the three years we've had him. He's not that type of player."

Video: SD@SF: McCutchen, Panik relay to nab Pirela at home

Dropping the ball: Pirela's rough night took another turn in the bottom of the eighth. Alen Hanson led off with a triple and scored on Buster Posey's RBI single. The Padres nearly escaped with minimal damage, when Pablo Sandoval sent a two-out bloop to shallow right. Pirela tracked it down, but the ball bounced out of his glove, and Posey scored on the error. The Giants led, 3-0.

Video: SD@SF: Posey slides into home on an error in the 8th

SOUND SMART
Bumgarner relied heavily on his offspeed pitches, throwing 36 fastballs in his 100 offerings (not including cutters). That's the lowest rate of fastballs Bumgarner has used in any of his eight starts against the Padres since Statcast™ began tracking at the start of 2016.

"There was a lot of offspeed thrown, a lot more than I've ever seen him throw, and a different type of mix than he's ever thrown," Green said. "It caught us off-guard."

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Typically, a 6-4-3 double-play ball features a barehand flip from the shortstop into the second baseman's glove. Pirela and Freddy Galvis flipped that script in the first. Andrew McCutchen sent a sharp grounder to Galvis, who flipped with his glove into Pirela's bare hand. The second baseman threw to Eric Hosmer for an inning-ending double play, the first of nine straight hitters retired by Ross.

Video: SD@SF: Galvis flips from glove to start a nifty DP

HE SAID IT
"It's all about movement and location. When I was younger, I just used to come out and let it eat, throw as hard as I could for as many pitches as I would last, and the results were whatever they were. Over the years, I've seen a lot of good pitchers change speeds, locations and use their movement. ... I just tried to adapt that and add it to my own game." -- Ross, on his change in mindset

UP NEXT
Clayton Richard struggled in his last start in San Francisco on May 2. He allowed seven runs in four innings and saw his ERA jump to 6.21. Since then, he's notched a 3.03 mark, and he's worked at least six innings in all eight of his starts. Richard gets a rematch with the Giants on Friday at 7:15 p.m. PT. San Francisco counters with right-hander Chris Stratton.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Wil Myers rejoined the Padres on Thursday afternoon. Both parties are hopeful for a more permanent stay this time.

San Diego's slugging right fielder has been out since he strained his left oblique on a swing in late April. Prior to that, he had missed time due to nerve irritation in his right arm, as well as back soreness, which may have been tied to his oblique injury.

All the while, Myers' bat has been sorely missed in the Padres' lineup, and he was in the leadoff spot on Thursday night in San Francisco. Entering play, he was hitting .300 with a homer and three doubles.

Video: COL@SD: Myers belts a solo homer to right-center

"It's exciting," Myers said. "When you're out for all that time, you miss it really bad. So it's good to be back here playing games that mean something and being able to go out and help the team."

When San Diego signed Eric Hosmer in February, the club moved Myers to the outfield and envisioned a lineup anchored by those two for the next few years. It has yet to materialize in 2018.

"You can't change the circumstances," Myers said. "You've just got to deal with them. The only way to get through this is to have a good outlook on it. I know I have half the year left here, so I can still do what I need to do here. I trained pretty hard this offseason, so I'm looking forward to the last three months, helping the team and getting going."

To clear room for Myers, the Padres optioned Franmil Reyes to Triple-A El Paso. Reyes batted .228 with a .717 OPS in his first big league stint.

Video: ATL@SD: Reyes hits 455-ft HR at 114.6 mph off the bat

Reyes could conceivably still play a role in the team's outfield of the future. But there weren't enough at-bats to go around, said Padres manager Andy Green. The Padres opted to keep Matt Szczur on board, given that Szczur often serves as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement -- better qualities for a fifth outfielder who receives minimal playing time.

As for Myers, don't expect an everyday role for him from the start.

"He might play two days, then have a day off," Green said. "He might play three days, then have a day off. We might carry that on for some considerable period of time to just ensure that he's in a good physical spot and ready to go before we unleash him to go on a very consistent basis."

That means more of the same for the rest of the Padres' outfield. Manuel Margot, Hunter Renfroe, Travis Jankowski and Reyes had spent the past month splitting at-bats somewhat evenly among the three spots. Expect Myers to slot right into that rotation.

"I'd rather play every day, but I think it's best for me and best for the team," Myers said. "We've got a lot of really good players here right now. ... For me, personally, just getting back into it, that probably is the right thing."

Swapping Phils
The Padres placed right-hander Phil Hughes on the disabled list with a rhomboid strain in his back. They recalled Phil Maton to take his place in the bullpen.

Maton was off to an excellent start before he was sidelined in mid-May with a right lat strain. In 16 innings, Maton allowed one earned run while striking out 17.

"It was not really the best time to get hurt in my mind," Maton said. "I felt like I was in a groove, figuring out how I need to pitch up here."

Green noted Hughes felt pain in his back while throwing the second-to-last pitch of his outing Wednesday afternoon. The team is hopeful he won't miss much time.

In seven appearances for the Padres, Hughes has posted a 6.23 ERA.

Video: MIA@SD: Hughes records his first strikeout as a Padre

Rea, Cordero switch places
Outfielder Franchy Cordero was moved to the 60-day DL on Thursday, as he mulls whether surgery is the best option for the bone spur in his right elbow.

"Whether he chooses the rest path or the surgery path, either way it's going to be a full 60 days from the time he left to the time he's activated," Green said. "You're going to see some rehab games in there as well, so that [roster move] was not an indication that he's opted for anything."

The transaction became necessary when right-hander Colin Rea's rehab time ran out. Rea is working his way back from 2016 Tommy John surgery, as well as a right lat strain that sidelined him at the beginning of Spring Training.

The Padres actived Rea from the 60-day DL and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso. The 27-year-old struggled in six rehab starts for Double-A San Antonio, allowing 19 earned runs in 24 innings while striking out 21.

"He's had some outings that were solid," Green said. "He hasn't been his typical self, which is normal for a lot of guys coming back from TJ. ... You trust once Colin's healthy and ready to go, he's going to be a big part of what we do."

Mitchell has tendinitis, inflammation
Right-hander Bryan Mitchell underwent an MRI on his ailing right elbow, and he was diagnosed with tendinitis in the elbow and inflammation in his right forearm. He sustained no ligament damage, Green said.

The Padres will shut Mitchell down for about a week while he takes anti-inflammatory medication. Presuming he's feeling better, Mitchell could resume throwing next week.

It's been a rough season for the right-hander, who was acquired via trade with the Yankees in December. Mitchell owns a 7.08 ERA in 12 appearances (seven starts).

Ready or not, the non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches. It's 40 days away as of Thursday, and the first significant in-season deal of 2018 has already taken place, with Kelvin Herrera going from Kansas City to Washington.

So while the market may not get super-hot for another few weeks, clubs have reached the point of asking themselves what they have and what they need. In light of that, MLB.com is taking a look at one question each team must answer before deciding to buy, sell or stand pat. Here's the National League West.

D-backs
The question: Who looks better, sooner: A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza Jr., or Robbie Ray and Shelby Miller?

It's pretty remarkable that Arizona is in first place without so many key players, including its second-best pitcher and second-best everyday player. All four of the above names are on the comeback trail, and how quickly and effectively they all return will have an impact on what general manager Mike Hazen will decide to do.

Ray and Pollock, in particular, are the keys. Ray, returning from a strained right oblique, should provide a significant boost to a rotation that has been effective at the top but lacking in depth. Pollock, whose fractured left thumb has not progressed as quickly as he or the team might have hoped, would bring a desperately needed spark to an offense that has been anemic at times.

But whereas there's every reason to think Ray will be himself when he returns, it's less clear with Pollock. Given how problematic hand injuries can be for power hitters, it's fair to wonder how close he'll be to 100 percent effectiveness.

If Pollack comes back strong, and soon, and so does Souza, Arizona may decide it's set on the offensive side. If Pollock scuffles, and Ray and Miller (returning from Tommy John surgery) look strong, the D-backs may look to add a bat instead of a starter.

Video: LAD@CHC: Jansen seals Dodgers' comeback win vs. Cubs

Dodgers
The question: Do they have enough to get from the starters to Kenley Jansen?

This is another team with quite a few issues that has done an excellent job overcoming them. But even if and when they get to full strength, there are questions about what Los Angeles has in the middle innings. And the Dodgers don't have a rotation full of guys who pitch deep into games, so they need that depth.

Still, even if the front office decides it does need relief help, that doesn't necessarily mean it will add a reliever. The Dodgers could, for example, get a starter and move Kenta Maeda to the bullpen. There are lots of options here.

Giants
The question: How good are they, really? And will we even get the chance to find out?

The Giants aren't going to sell. Of that we can be pretty confident. But that doesn't mean they'll aggressively buy, either. It will depend in part on, well, just how good this team is.

And the thing is, that's hard to know. They're now going to do without Hunter Strickland for a couple of months. He joins Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija and Evan Longoria as big pieces on the DL.

With all those missing pieces, San Francisco has battled to a record a bit below .500, and it deserves credit for that. But if the Giants are still around even in late July, they probably won't add aggressively. If we get some read that a healthy San Francisco team could push deep into October, you might see some significant activity.

Video: SD@STL: Hand closes out win to earn his 21st save

Padres
The question: Who's part of the core?

Odds are the Padres will sell. They've remained competitive, and there are reasons to be optimistic about their rebuild. But they're not going to be buyers, barring something shocking.

So the question becomes, whom do they trade? Brad Hand, the most talked about potential trade asset, is signed through 2020 with an option for '21. There's no need to move him without getting real value in return.

San Diego has a glut of outfielders, some of whom could be used to help keep the rebuild going. If, for example, it decides Hunter Renfroe is not a core piece, then he could be moved.

Then there's someone like Christian Villanueva, who has been a revelation this year. It's highly unlikely that the Padres will move him, but they do need to decide whether they view him as a building block or as a complementary piece.

San Diego will make moves, but it's time to figure out who the club believes will still be around when the rebuild is over.

Rockies
The question: Can they trust any of their high-dollar relievers?

Colorado committed more than $100 million to relievers this offseason, adding Wade Davis and Bryan Shaw and re-signing Jake McGee. To say it has gone poorly might actually be generous. Davis' high-4s ERA is the best of the bunch. Adam Ottavino has been brilliant, but the rest of the bullpen has been a big problem for the Rox.

The problem is, the Rockies have made long-term commitments to all three guys. All are signed beyond 2018. So the ideal thing would be for at least one or two of them to get going. Regardless, they may decide their greatest need is relief pitching (though they also really need a bat or two).

But it will be more of a surgical strike if Colorado can regain some confidence in at least one of its signees, rather than potentially needing an overhaul if all three continue to struggle.

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

Freddy Galvis made an error Tuesday night.
     
He missed second base with his foot on a force play.
     
Which shows you just how valuable the 28-year-old shortstop is to the Padres.
     
That was Galvis' second error of the season. The first was committed back on April 13. In between, Galvis has been everything the Padres could want in a shortstop.
     
Galvis has started every one of the Padres' 76 games this season. His 683 2/3 innings played are the most in the Major Leagues. Wednesday afternoon marked only the third time this season that Galvis has come out of a game early.
     
And for all the time he's played, he's made two errors. And he leads the Padres in defensive runs saved with eight.
     
Plus, he's raised his batting average from .212 to .244, although his four-game hitting streak - that began with the first five-hit game of his career - ended Wednesday. In 11 games since June 9, Galvis has gone 13-for-41 (.317) with four doubles, two homers, nine RBIs and three runs scored.
     
NOTEBOOK:
     
--3B Christian Villanueva, who turned 27 Tuesday, hit his first home run in June Wednesday after finishing May with 15. His two-hit game Wednesday was also his first multi-hit game for the month. Villanueva is hitting .119 in June (5-for-42) with 14 strikeouts and two RBIs. He is still tied for second in the National League in home runs.
     
--LHP Eric Lauer has a 2.49 earned run average over his last four starts. He has allowed seven runs (six earned) on 22 hits and 11 walks with 19 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. He has also worked his way out of several jams. He has lowered his earned run average in each of the four starts, lowering it to 5.47.
     
--C A.J. Ellis is 7-for-17 (.412) in a six-game hitting streak with a double and two RBIs. He has reached base safely via hit or walk in 21 of his last 22 games with a .443 on-base percentage. He is hitting .308 (24-for-78) in 25 games as a starter this season.
     
--RF Franmil Reyes is hitting .271 (13-for-48) in June with three doubles and two homers. His only three doubles of the season have come in his last five starts.

SAN DIEGO -- Rookie left-hander Joey Lucchesi made his long-awaited return from the disabled list on Wednesday afternoon. The A's played spoiler -- to that, and to the Padres' brief return to Petco Park this week.

San Diego returned from a tricky 10-game trip on Sunday with a renewed sense of optimism, following series victories in Miami and St. Louis. By the end of Wednesday's 12-4 defeat, that optimism was squashed courtesy of two tough losses to Oakland -- each painful in its own way.

The Padres came one strike short on Tuesday, when Stephen Piscotty turned around a Brad Hand fastball for a game-tying homer in the ninth. A day later, the A's made sure it was never that close.

Lucchesi's return from a right hip strain was short lived. He lasted 1 2/3 innings, allowing four runs, including back-to-back dingers to Franklin Barreto and Josh Phegley in the top of the second. After a promising start to his rookie campaign, Lucchesi saw his ERA balloon to 3.86.

"I felt a little bit off, maybe a little bit rusty," Lucchesi said. "... I don't want to make any excuses, but I just wasn't myself today."

Perhaps most importantly, Lucchesi never felt any pain or soreness in his hip. But he labored from the outset, needing 51 pitches to record his five outs.

"I didn't want to extend him any longer," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Sometimes you let guys fight through it. Other times you get them off the mound, let them regroup and get back out the next time. He's thrown the ball really well for us this year. It was a tough return for him, but he's going to bounce back and be just fine."

Video: OAK@SD: Green on Lucchesi, offense in loss

Left-hander Robbie Erlin entered in relief, and he, too, surrendered back-to-back homers. Mark Canha and Matt Olson took him deep in the third. It marked the first time the A's had hit consecutive homers in consecutive innings since 1997. Padres bench coach Mark McGwire and hitting coach Matt Stairs authored two of those four blasts.

Aside from the early home runs, Erlin was effective. He allowed those two earned runs while chewing up 4 1/3 relief innings and striking out four. But the offense never mounted a threat against A's starter Frankie Montas, despite some hard contact.

The Padres broke through with three runs in the ninth, including Christian Villanueva's 16th home run. He's tied for second in the National League, trailing only Washington's Bryce Harper, who has 19. By then, of course, it was too late.

Video: OAK@SD: Villanueva hammers his 16th homer of the year

In a bizarre stretch of their schedule, the Padres dropped their only two home games in a three-week span. They began that stretch 5-3 and had climbed within four games of .500 on Friday night. But they've since dropped four straight and are staring down yet another week on the road.

A two-game respite at Petco Park turned out to be anything but.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Back in action: Lucchesi's return from the DL started innocently enough. He surrendered a leadoff double to Marcus Semien, but escaped the threat with a pair of strikeouts. Even then, the A's made him work. Lucchesi needed six pitches to whiff Chad Pinder, eight pitches to get a Jed Lowrie groundout and five pitches to punch out Canha. The three of them combined to foul off four two-strike offerings in the frame.

Make 'em earn it: Oakland scored seven times in the first three innings, the first six of which came on the four home runs. The seventh run was a gift. Barreto hit a chopper in front of the plate, where Erlin fielded and threw the ball up the right-field line. It was retrieved by Cory Spangenberg, whose throw to second soared over shortstop Freddy Galvis. Barreto ended up at third, and he would score on Phegley's ensuing sacrifice fly.

SPANGENBERG TOES THE RUBBER
Earlier this month, in his first pitching appearance since high school, Spangenberg hit 88 mph with his fastball and averaged 85 mph. His arm was sore for the rest of the week.

The Padres' infielder took the mound again on Wednesday with his team trailing by nine in the ninth. He surrendered two runs, two hits and two walks, and this time he averaged 72.3 mph. That dip in velocity was a conscious decision.

"It was sore for like five days after, so I had to [dial it back]," Spangenberg said.

The 27-year-old right-hander was the closer on his high school team, but he hadn't taken the mound since -- until the June 5 appearance against Atlanta, in which he allowed one run.

"It helps the team out," Spangenberg. "When our starter doesn't go far and our bullpen has been used, somebody has to do it."

Video: OAK@SD: Spangenberg induces popup to end the frame

HE SAID IT
"Last night's game was one of those games that sting. These games today are just games that happen throughout the course of a baseball season to everybody. They're frustrating losses. But the ones yesterday are the ones you're going to hold on to. You want to win those games." -- Green

UP NEXT
Tyson Ross has been the Padres' best starting pitcher this season, and he gets the ball on Thursday when the Padres open a four-game series in San Francisco at 7:15 p.m. PT. Ross has faced the Giants twice this year, and he's pitched six innings of one-run ball both times. Opposite Ross is four-time All-Star left-hander Madison Bumgarner, making his fourth start of the season and his first against the Padres.

SAN DIEGO -- The injury bug has bit the Padres once more this season, as outfielder Franchy Cordero will be out for an indefinite time period after an MRI revealed a bone spur in his right elbow.

Cordero was in the midst of his rehab assignment at Triple-A El Paso, but he was shut down after feeling pain in his forearm during a swing on Sunday.

Cordero, who was batting .237/.307/.439 before landing on the disabled list on May 28, has two options. He could undergo surgery to remove the bone spur, although the expected recovery time is estimated at 12 weeks -- which would mean missing nearly the rest of the season. Cordero is also weighing the decision of resting a month and reevaluating the situation a few weeks later.

"He's kind of caught between a rock and a hard place right now," manager Andy Green said. "What's the best decision? 'Do I wait a month and see if I can play with this, even though it's still bothering me after I waited? Or do I go have surgery right now, and I maybe only get back for the last few weeks of the season?'"

Ultimately, it appears necessary that Cordero will need to have the bone spur removed. Right now, it's a matter of when. It's unclear what route Cordero will take, and Green added that Cordero would likely take some time to decide.

"Those kinds of decisions, you offer advice," he said. "But they're players' choices. And it's not an easy decision to make. … There's no clear, easy answer on this one, and it's going to take a few days to work through that and get advice from the doctors he's seen."

Lucchesi activated, Mitchell to DL
The Padres activated Joey Lucchesi on Wednesday morning and placed right-hander Bryan Mitchell on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow impingement, retroactive to Sunday.

The reliever hasn't made an appearance since June 5, where he was rocked for five hits and five earned runs on 60 pitches through just 2 2/3 innings.

"We don't feel it's too serious, but he's had intermittent soreness over the last two weeks," Green said. "Whenever he gets out to full extension in his long-toss program, he's felt some things. It became apparent to us that it was best for him to take a little break right now and rest his elbow and hopefully we find nothing structural there."

Mitchell will rest for a few days before heading to the team's Spring Training complex in Arizona to resume his throwing program. In his 12 appearances (seven starts) for San Diego this season, he holds a 7.08 ERA over 48 1/3 innings pitched and has allowed 39 runs (38 earned) on 63 hits.

More roster moves ahead
San Diego will have a couple more roster moves to make in the near future, with both Wil Myers and Austin Hedges coming close to finishing their rehab assignments. Raffy Lopez and A.J. Ellis have split duties behind the plate in Hedges' absence, and Green wouldn't say whether the team would take three catchers once Hedges returns.

"We've talked through the possibility of carrying three catchers and what that would do for us," Green said. "We're not committed to that, but we're not going to rule that out at this point."

The Padres will also have to decide how many outfielders they will carry once Myers returns, with Hunter Renfroe, Travis Jankowski, Manuel Margot and Franmil Reyes all splitting equal time amongst the three positions. While Myers will obviously be back in the mix, Green hinted that Myers will not start every game and instead mix into the outfield rotation, as well.

"Wil, when he comes back, he might play two days, then have a day off," Green said. "He might play three days, then have a day off. We might carry that on for some considerable period of time to just ensure that he's in a good physical spot and ready to go before we unleash him to go on a very consistent basis.

"He would fit into a very similar rotation. You've got four guys out there that are all playing very consistently and getting a lot of at-bats, but not the everyday guy."

Here's MLB Pipeline's roundup of the top prospect performances in the Minor Leagues on Wednesday.

The least-known prospect acquired by the Marlins in the January blockbuster trade that sent Christian Yelich to Milwaukee, Jordan Yamamoto is doing his best to shed that distinction this season in the Florida State League.

:: Complete prospect coverage ::

Yamamoto, Miami's No. 20 prospect, set a career high with 13 strikeouts and allowed just two hits, both singles, over seven scoreless innings as Class A Advanced Jupiter blanked Florida, 2-0. He did not issue a walk in the outing, ultimately facing two over the minimum and throwing 64 of 89 pitches for strikes.

Dealt to Miami during the offseason, along with outfielders Lewis Brinson and Monte Harrison and second baseman Isan Diaz, Yamamoto began the season on the disabled list with a right shoulder impingement but has been on a roll since making his Marlins organizational debut on May 27. The 22-year-old right-hander is 3-0 in five starts, with a 1.63 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 33-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 27 2/3 innings.

Selected by Milwaukee in the 12th round of the 2014 Draft out of the Hawaii prep ranks, Yamamoto broke out in earnest last year, when he logged 111 innings for Class A Advanced Carolina -- his second straight campaign with at least 100 innings pitched after working a career-high 134 1/3 frames in 2016 -- struck out 113 and sported a 2.51 ERA that topped Carolina League pitchers reaching 100 innings.

Yamamoto was especially good down the stretch, too, as he allowed just one earned run over his final five starts and 33 innings -- a trend that has followed the young right-hander into 2018.

The rest of the best performances from top prospects Wednesday

• No. 12 overall prospect Mitch Keller (Pirates' No. 1) turned in his fourth straight quality start as he pitched Double-A Altoona past Richmond in Game 1 of a doubleheader to record his eighth win in 13 starts. The 22-year-old righty gave up one unearned run on four hits and one walk while striking out four and racking up 10 ground-ball outs. He's now completed at least six innings in seven straight starts, during which he's 5-0. Overall, Keller ranks among the Eastern League leaders with his eight wins (tied, first), a 3.00 ERA (seventh) and 78 1/3 innings pitched (fourth).

• No. 43 overall prospect Ian Anderson (Braves' No. 5) was outdueled by Yamamoto, but still impressed plenty by tossing six innings of two-run ball with a season-best eight strikeouts in a quality start for Class A Advanced Florida. Anderson permitted seven hits (six singles) and one walk and flooded the strike zone with 63 of his 92 offerings. The 20-year-old righty sports a 3.51 ERA through 13 starts on the season, with 70 strikeouts and just two home runs allowed in 59 innings.

• No. 57 overall prospect Shane Baz (Pirates' No. 3) worked a career-high five scoreless innings to earn the win in his season debut for Rookie-level Bristol. The 2017 first-rounder (No. 12 overall) gave up four hits while compiling one strikeout and three walks in the outing. Baz, a 19-year-old righty, recorded eight ground-ball outs and threw 45 of his 80 pitches for strikes. Outfielder Conner Uselton (No. 16), selected with the No. 72 pick in the '17 Draft, went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

• No. 92 overall prospect Sean Murphy (A's No. 6) went 3-for-3 and reached base in all five of his plate appearances in Double-A Midland's loss to Frisco. Two of those hits were doubles, giving Murphy a Texas League-leading 24 two-baggers on the season, and he also reached twice via walks and scored two runs. The 23-year-old is proving this season that he's one of the Minor's top catching prospects, as the performance gives Murphy a .315/.367/.539 batting line with 33 extra-base hits through 56 games.

• Blue Jays No. 7 prospect Eric Pardinho took the loss but impressed in his professional debut, tossing four innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts and seven ground-ball outs for Rookie-level Bluefield. The 17-year-old right-hander threw 39 of his 65 pitches for strikes in the outing, allowing two hits and two walks. Signed for $1.4 million out of Brazil at the outset of the 2017-18 international period, Pardinho boasts a three-pitch mix that includes a plus fastball-curveball pairing and a promising changeup. That mature arsenal, along with his advanced feel for using it, is why Toronto felt comfortable jumping him straight to the Appalachian League for his Minor League debut.

• Dodgers No. 24 prospect Drew Jackson hit a pair of two-run homers as he powered Double-A Tulsa past Springfield, 7-1, with his first career multi-homer game. The 24-year-old middle infielder has gone deep seven times in 54 games this year after homering just once in 29 Double-A contests in 2017.Will Smith (No. 8) also homered in the victory, his eighth this season. Both players finished 2-for-4 and scored two runs.

Watch: Jackson homers twice

• Padres No. 11 prospect Jacob Nix was a tough-luck loser despite tossing seven innings of one-run ball with a season-best eight strikeouts for Double-A San Antonio in a 1-0 loss against Corpus Christi. The 22-year-old right-hander -- making his fifth start of 2018 after beginning the season on the disabled list -- allowed four hits, did not issue a walk and induced eight ground-ball outs. He's pitched to a 1.27 ERA and 0.71 WHIP, with 20 strikeouts, six walks and a .147 BAA, in 28 1/3 innings.

• Pirates No. 7 prospect Kevin Newman and Kevin Kramer (No. 8) combined for five hits and four RBIs in Triple-A Indianapolis' 5-3 win over Norfolk. Newman paced the offense out of the leadoff spot by going 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. It was his second three-hit performance during his seven-game hitting streak. Kramer, meanwhile, finished the game 2-for-4 after hitting his 16th double and a two-run homer, his 11th of the season and third in the last six games.

• Pirates No. 11 prospect Luis Escobar posted six scoreless innings of two-hit ball in Class A Advanced Bradenton's 9-1 win over Clearwater. The 22-year-old righty issued two walks and struck out six while finding the strike zone with 51 of his 77 pitches. The outing was a step back in the right direction for Escobar after he entered the day having allowed nine earned runs and eight walks in eight innings between his previous two starts.

Escobar's sixth strikeout

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres were one strike away from victory, but an uncustomary bullpen slip-up resulted in a 4-2 come-from-behind victory for the Oakland Athletics at Petco Park Tuesday night.

With two outs in the top of the ninth and Oakland down 2-1, Stephen Piscotty crushed a 2-2, 94 mph fastball from Brad Hand into the second deck in left field. It was a rare blown save from the Padres closer, just his third in 24 opportunities.

One inning later, Jed Lowrie joined the party. After Marcus Semien stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Raffy Lopez, Lowrie sent a 2-1 fastball from Adam Cimber over the right-field wall for a go-ahead two-run home run. It was the first home run Cimber had allowed all season.

Video: Must C Clutch: Piscotty, Lowrie's late HRs propel A's

"Brad's been good all year," manager Andy Green said. "I'm not the least bit worried about him. He's as resilient as anybody."

The late-inning theatrics spoiled a quality outing from Eric Lauer (3-4, 5.47 ERA), who tossed six innings of three-hit ball for the Padres, matching his season high. He struck out seven in his longest outing since May 22 and allowed one unearned run, lowering his ERA to 5.47 from 6.20.

Lauer showcased some extra velocity on his fastball, averaging 92 mph and topping out at 95 mph on the night. He also notched back-to-back quality outings for the first time this season.

"It's nice to get something back-to-back," Lauer said. "Consistency's been a big issue for me.

"Most of it has been being more comfortable on the mound, knowing I can throw my own game and being comfortable doing that. I'm not trying to do too much, like I said before, just really staying within myself and not trying to press."

Video: OAK@SD: Pirela plates the 1st run with a forceout

San Diego's offense sputtered after striking early off Oakland starter Paul Blackburn. The Padres tacked on a run in both the first and second inning. After Cory Spangenberg walked in the first, Eric Hosmer singled to set runners up at the corners for Jose Pirela. He cashed in Spangenberg with an RBI groundout to give the Padres a 1-0 lead.

Franmil Reyes led off the second inning with a double, and would score two batters later when Lopez roped a double of his own. That would be all for the Padres, however, as they mustered just three hits the remainder of the game.

Video: OAK@SD: Lopez rips an RBI double to right in the 2nd

"We should've gotten more going offensively against Blackburn," Green said. "When you look at the game objectively, we could've had much better at-bats throughout the course of that game to not make that an issue at the end of the ballgame.

"At the end of the game, everybody's going to see the obvious that Brad missed a spot with his fastball and it got hit out of the ballpark. For me, it's that we should do more against that type of pitcher in a game like that today."

SOUND SMART
Lauer's outing on Tuesday snapped his streak of five consecutive games with a pickoff, the longest streak in Padres history and tied for the second-longest all-time. Lauer has seven pickoffs on the season, and the Padres lead the Majors with 13.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
While Lauer may have had it all figured out on the mound, the batter's box was a different story. After taking ball three from Blackburn in the second inning, Lauer tossed his bat down and casually jogged to first base, under the impression that he had walked. It resulted in a walk of shame back to home plate, amid laugher from his teammates in the dugout. No worries, however -- Blackburn would actually walk Lauer one pitch later.

Video: OAK@SD: Lauer takes first on ball 3, again on ball 4

HE SAID IT
"We played a good game all around. We were one out away from winning the ballgame. I made a mistake, they hit a home run, and then the 10th inning didn't go our way. It's a tough loss, but we'll come back and get 'em tomorrow." -- Hand, on his blown save and the Padres' loss

MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
A rare defensive miscue by shortstop Freddy Galvis led to the Athletics' first run of the night. While attempting to turn Olson's ground ball into a double play in the second inning, Galvis came off second base trying to catch the throw from Pirela. Khris Davis was called safe after a replay review, and Canha followed up with a single to load the bases. Lauer was able to induce a double-play ball from Piscotty next at-bat, but Davis scored, tacking an unearned run onto Lauer's line.

Video: OAK@SD: Davis reaches second as out call overturned

UP NEXT
It's Joey Lucchesi on the mound Wednesday for the Friars, making his first start since May 14 after being sidelined for nearly a month due to a hip strain. Although San Diego fared fairly well in his absence, the Padres will certainly be glad to get the left-hander back as they had won four of his last seven starts. Lucchesi, a Bay Area native, will take on Oakland's Frankie Montas, who was called up by the club on May 27. First pitch is slated for 12:40 p.m. PT.

SAN DIEGO -- As only he could, Ted Leitner opened Tuesday evening's broadcast of a 4-2 San Diego loss with a rundown of the Padres' recent 10-game road trip through Miami, St. Louis and Atlanta.

It was only after he had summed up the 5-5 run -- and groused about a few questionable umpiring decisions along the way -- that Leitner addressed the topic at hand.

The beloved Padres play-by-play man was back behind the mic -- cancer-free.

In May, Leitner was diagnosed with a tumor in his kidney, and he began an indefinite leave of absence at the end of the month. Leitner had successful surgery to remove the kidney on May 31, and he learned the tumor was benign.

Before the top of the first inning, Leitner took the mic for the first time since.

"It's wonderful to be back," Leitner said. "I'll talk more about -- not so much what I've been through -- but what you've done for me out there, you Padre fans. I thank you, I thank you, I thank you."

In the top of the second inning, Leitner more formally addressed the surgery -- specifically the moment he learned the tumor was benign.

"How could that happen?" Leitner asked. "Why would that happen? I believe and always will believe it was you folks reaching out with your thoughts and your prayers. I believe it 100 percent. And I thank you, my children thank you and my grandchildren thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Now, baseball."

And just like that, Leitner -- known as "Uncle Teddy" among Padres fans -- was back to calling the series opener against Oakland.

It's Leitner's 39th season calling Padres games. A beloved figure in San Diego sports, he spent 25 years as an anchor for CBS 8 in San Diego. He also called games for the NFL's Chargers and the NBA's Clippers when they played in San Diego.

Leitner took a few moments on the field before the game to catch up with players, coaches and team personnel. Manager Andy Green made a point to stop by. The topic of the Padres' quest for their first no-hitter came up.

"We flirted with a couple no-hitters while he was gone," Green said with a smile. "As much as we would've loved to see one, it wouldn't have been right to not have him on the mic that day."

Clayton Richard came closest with 7 2/3 no-hit innings in Miami on June 10. The veteran left-hander sought out Leitner before Tuesday's game, and Leitner recalled their encounter, on air, during the bottom of the first.

"I just couldn't do it without you there," Leitner said was Richard's quip.

"Clayton," Leitner said, sternly. "If I'm not there next time: Do it."

Then Leitner gave the half-laugh that's become synonymous with ends of his tales. Indeed, it was storytime with Uncle Teddy -- as if he'd never left.

How do we look at the outfield problem now? Travis Jankowski, Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe are playing well right now. When Franchy Cordero and Wil Myers come back, who's guaranteed a spot?
-- Austin, Santee, Calif.

Before we get ahead of ourselves: We've been asking some version of this question since Spring Training, but injuries have prevented the Padres from having their full contingent of outfielders. Right now, they're probably closer than they've ever been, with both Myers (left oblique strain) and Cordero (right forearm strain) on rehab assignments. But let's pump the brakes and acknowledge this as a hypothetical.

In any case, San Diego wants to make sure all of those guys are getting regular at-bats. Franmil Reyes is almost certain to give way, barring some sort of huge breakout over the next week. I'd also expect Matt Szczur to stay on board as a fifth-outfielder type who can serve as a pinch-runner, pinch-hitter and defensive replacement.

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That leaves four spots for the five guys mentioned above. If Myers is healthy, he's playing. Margot, still viewed as the center fielder of the future, probably gets regular at-bats, too. That leaves Cordero, Renfroe and Jankowski for two places. Based on merit, the top two will stick in the Majors and the other will be headed for Triple-A. But don't be shocked if the Padres explore trade possibilities for Jankowski and Renfroe at the non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Does Matt Strahm get stretched out to be a starter this year?
-- Craig M., San Diego

Technically, of course, Strahm is already starting. But if you're looking for a more traditional five- or six-inning outing from Strahm, we're still a ways away from that.

Strahm has been excellent as the first pitcher on bullpen day, routinely working two or three innings before giving way to the rest of the relief corps. In those four "starts," Strahm has allowed one run in 10 innings while striking out 11. Naturally, that's led to some serious excitement about what Strahm might offer as a regular member of the rotation. In the big picture, the Padres are eager to find out. In the short term, however, they're not going to push him.

Strahm is less than a year removed from major left knee surgery, and he's still building strength in the lower half of his body. On a couple of occasions, Strahm has seen his velocity dip in the third inning of his starts. The 26-year-old left-hander could very well work his way toward a five-inning effort this season. But those deeper outings almost certainly wouldn't come on a regular basis.

We have a good idea of the trade return for Brad Hand. What would be the return for Craig Stammen and/or Kirby Yates?
-- Campbell D., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Indeed, nothing has changed on the Hand front. The Padres will ask for a lot. As one of the game's elite left-handers, he's been likened to Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman when they were dealt at the Deadline in 2016. General manager A.J. Preller is expecting a similarly lucrative return. Once again, Hand's name is certain to grab headlines over the next month.

That said, it's just as likely that Yates and Stammen will be shopped. They've been excellent this season and could be useful pieces in a playoff-bound bullpen. The Padres, who boast one of the league's deepest crops of relievers, could probably withstand losing one or two top arms.

So what would San Diego get in return? Yates has two more seasons of arbitration after this year. Stammen has a year and a half left on a very affordable deal. Neither is a rental, meaning both could help fetch a mid-level prospect. Perhaps just as likely: The Padres could package one or both of them with Tyson Ross for a return similar to what they got last season from the Royals. In that deal, San Diego sent a pair of relievers and a veteran righty starter to Kansas City. The Padres landed Strahm and highly touted infield prospect Esteury Ruiz (currently ranked No. 10 in the system).

How optimistic are the Padres that Austin Hedges will improve enough as a hitter to at least become close to league average?
-- Sergio Q., Tijuana, Mexico

"League average" might be a stretch for Hedges, especially in the immediate future. In parts of four big league seasons, Hedges owns an OPS+ of 57. And while there is precedent for catchers to figure things out on offense later in their careers, right now Hedges isn't close to being league average at the dish.

The Padres are just fine with that. They aren't looking for league average from Hedges. He contributes so much defensively -- whether framing, game-calling, blocking or throwing -- that any offense is a plus. Hedges merely needs to be a serviceable No. 8 hitter in their lineup.

Last season, Hedges batted .214/.262/.398 with 18 dingers. Those numbers aren't particularly good. But if he can boost his on-base percentage just a bit, San Diego would take the rest of that line. The Padres could slot Hedges in at No. 8, where he'd offer the occasional offensive contribution. And he'd do that while anchoring the pitching staff as well as anyone in baseball. That's an acceptable yearly output in the team's eyes.

ATLANTA -- The Padres settled for a 5-5 road trip after falling to the Braves, 4-1, on Sunday afternoon at SunTrust Park.

Despite being held hitless by Braves starter Julio Teheran through six innings and striking out 17 times, the Padres were in position to rally late, but they missed opportunities with runners in scoring position, including a two-on, no-out start to the ninth.

They brought the tying run to the plate as Cory Spangenberg and Freddy Galvis led off the frame with back-to-back singles off Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino to put runners at first and third, but the righty would shut San Diego down for the second straight day, striking out two of the last three batters he faced to earn his 15th save.

"If we wanna be great, we've got to eliminate the strikeouts," Padres manager Andy Green said. "That's been one of our nemeses all season long. Guys that have an opportunity to bring in a guy from third base in particular, finding a different type of swing to get the guy in. And it's been preached; it's time to execute it."

Video: SD@ATL: Spangenberg singles to break up no-no in 7th

Teheran came off the disabled list and struck out 11 Padres -- six of them consecutively -- in his six no-hit innings. His velocity was up from the last time he faced San Diego at Petco Park on June 4, when three of the five hits he allowed were home runs.

"He was throwing all his pitches for strikes, and in three at-bats I only got one fastball," Spangenberg said. "When the pitcher's doing that, it's pretty tough to hit."

Teheran was lifted after six innings due to a combination of a high pitch count (95) and a hamstring cramp. Shane Carle came in to pitch the seventh for the Braves, and he gave up consecutive one-out singles to Spangenberg and Galvis to wipe out the no-hitter and bring the go-ahead run to the plate. But whatever momentum the Padres conjured up was short-lived, as Carle retired the side with a strikeout and groundout.

Video: SD@ATL: Pirela scores Reyes with a sacrifice fly

San Diego brought the go-ahead run to the plate again in the eighth, and Jose Pirela drove in the Padres' lone run on a sacrifice fly to left to cut the deficit to 2-1. Hunter Renfroe was then caught looking at a 98.6-mph fastball for the third out.

Padres lefty Matt Strahm started the planned bullpen game -- San Diego's fourth such game in four weeks -- and turned in 2 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. He threw 24 pitches in a first inning that was extended by a wild-pitch strikeout of Freddie Freeman followed by a 10-pitch at-bat to Nick Markakis, who would reach on an infield single.

Video: SD@ATL: Renfroe dives to make stellar catch in right

Strahm has posted a 0.90 ERA in his four starts, compared to a 3.48 ERA in his eight outings in relief.

"I've got my starting routine, and that's been my routine since I was back in college, and I just go about it, and these last four times I've been fortunate enough to know when I'm throwing, so it's kind of helped a little bit," Strahm said.

Once Strahm was lifted, the Braves got to Jose Castillo in the bottom of the fourth with Johan Camargo's two-run double into the left-field corner -- the first runs the lefty has allowed in his young big league career.

The Padres bullpen was able to keep them in the game until lefty Brad Hand served up a two-run homer in the eighth inning to Braves catcher Tyler Flowers, who entered the game when Kurt Suzuki left after being hit in the head by a bat on a follow-through swing by Raffy Lopez to end the top of the second.

Video: SD@ATL: Suzuki injured by backswing and exits game

The loss snapped San Diego's five-series winning streak.

"It's a tough way to end an otherwise pretty good road trip," Green said. "You're holding a good offense down and you're giving yourself a chance to win, it's tough for it to end that way, but overall I think you walk away thinking a very respectable road trip, that we just missed having a great one."

SOUND SMART
With the Padres losing three of four in Atlanta and falling to 16-19 in road games this season, it was the first time they have lost a series since dropping two of three games against the Dodgers from May 25-27. It was San Diego's longest series winning streak since 2010.

UP NEXT
The Padres head home to open a two-game set against the Athletics on Tuesday. Lefty Eric Lauer will take the mound for San Diego in his 11th career start, and righty Paul Blackburn will get the start for the A's. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PT.