Padres notes: ‘Bittersweet’ Ben Fritz settles in as interim pitching coach; Lamet throws at Lake Elsinore

Even as he transitioned from the rehab coordinator in Arizona to the big-league bullpen coaching job last spring, Ben Fritz had refused to let the idea of a promotion serve as the carrot in front of the horse, so to speak. So the call he received Monday morning from Padres General Manager A.J. Preller was the last one he wanted, even if the job offer was everything he’d always wanted.

Larry Rothschild was out as the Padres’ pitching coach.

Fritz was getting his shot.

“Knowing Larry, having worked with Larry the last two years, absolutely nothing but respect for that man,” the 40-year-old Fritz said Tuesday afternoon, “his knowledge, his experience in the game, what he’s taught me, what he’s done for my career. It’s a bittersweet thing for me on a personal level. I’m super excited for the opportunity and the trust from A.J. and (Jayce Tingler) to give me this responsibility.

“I’m excited for it. I think I’m ready for it. Actually I know I’m ready for it, but in this circumstance it’s a weird thing.”

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With that, Fritz threw himself into what was largely the normalcy of his gig as the Padres’ bullpen coach. He oversaw Chris Paddack and Blake Snell’s off-day bullpens on Monday and Yu Darvish’s before Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers. He was the lead voice in the pre-game meeting with the relievers and then observed Jake Arrieta throwing on flat ground in his push to return from a mild hamstring injury.

Sure, perhaps his voice had more weight in the decision to go with Pierce Johnson as Tuesday’s opener — Fritz, after all, was the No. 2 to Rothschild — but he’s been a voice in the room all along.

Same with Rod Barajas in his transition from a quality control coach into Fritz’s old gig in the bullpen, bullpen catcher Peter Summerville and Preston Mattingly, an advance scout/game planning coordinator.

“A lot of the stuff I was doing in the past,” Fritz said, “I was doing today.”

Whatever is different about the conversations going forward, it won’t be Fritz who is changing anything about his approach as he assumes control of a staff with a rotation that has seen its ERA balloon from 3.92 in the first half to 5.66 since the All-Star break.

“I think I got this opportunity because of the way I do things and I want to continue doing that,” Fritz said. “ … I know the strength of these guys. I know the weaknesses of these guys. I think a big emphasis for me is to focus on their strengths. Obviously everyone is trying to get better at their weaknesses, but ultimately these guys got here being really good at something.”

To that point, “there’s no magic pill,” Fritz said as he pointed toward righting the ship for the final 36 games of the season.

Yes, the injuries have stacked up. The shortcomings, however, remain the pitchers to own heading into the final 36 games as Fritz takes over for Rothschild.

“We take a little bit of that on our shoulders,” right-hander Joe Musgrove said. “I’m sure if we do our job a little better we’re not in this situation now. … At this point, I think we all have to check ourselves and make the adjustments that are necessary and really buckle down and give it all we have these last 36 games of the season.”

Added left-hander Blake Snell: “I liked Larry a lot. It sucks, but it’s a business. If that’s what they think is going to make us better then you have to buy into it. … I like Fritz. I like what he can do and I know him and Larry were on the same page with a lot of things. I don’t think it’s going to be a big change, except not seeing Larry in the dugout, not being able to talk to him and learn from all the experience he does have.

“It’s a tough spot no matter how you look at it.”

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Notable

• Sidetracked by a hip infection, RHP Dinelson Lamet re-started a rehab assignment with low Single-A Lake Elsinore on Tuesday. He hit the first batter he faced, but retired the next three hitters, the last via a strikeout. He threw 10 of his 16 pitches for strikes. On the injured list with forearm inflammation, Lamet is pushing to return as a bullpen arm down the stretch.
• After Tuesday’s bullpen, Tingler said Darvish (back) did some pitchers fielding practice drills in the infield. The hope is Darvish can start Thursday against the Dodgers, but Tingler was not ready to announce plans for that game. “I think we’re getting close to getting back into game action,” Tingler said, “but no date as of now or nothing to announce right now.”
• To buoy the relief corps for Tuesday’s bullpen game, the Padres recalled LHP Daniel Camarena and optioned RHP Miguel Diaz to Triple-A El Paso.