Tommy Pham, now with the Reds, wanted to rejoin Padres in 2022, but won't 'close the book' on a return in 2023
First Jurickson Profar, then Fernando Tatis Jr. Then A.J. Preller, who stayed and talked for 15 minutes.and Reds, it was like he had been here for five years instead of two.“Strong,” he said when asked about his level of interest in returning to the Padres before he ultimately signed with the Reds in March. “You see my relationships with everybody. I still talk to everyone. They still reach out to me.
“I wasn’t really fully 100 percent healthy when I played here,” he said. “I just wish I could have provided more. But you never know. I would never close the book. Who knows? Maybe next year.”With a left-hander on the mound to start Monday’s game, Padres manager Bob Melvin opted to play Jose Azocar in center field over Trent Grisham, who’d started each of the team’s 11 games there.
Plate discipline had been a point of emphasis as Azocar joined the organization as a minor league free agent before the 2021 season, while his speed and range in the outfield immediately made him one of the better outfield defenders in the system.