Padres notes: Marisnick’s playing time sparse in overcrowded outfield

Believe it or not, the Padres needed outfield depth on July 30.

Someone who could play center. Someone who could run a little. Someone who could put together a competitive at-bat off the bench.

Things changed drastically before Jake Marisnick even got off the plane in San Diego to essentially replace Jorge Mateo as the Padres’ reserve outfielder. That he’s collected just 26 plate appearances in over a month with the Padres — not to mention having to sit a starting-caliber outfielder every night these days — can be directly traced to shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. again dislocating his shoulder hours after the trade deadline passed.

Tatis returned to the lineup Aug. 15 … as a right fielder. He has started every game since either there or in center field, pushing one of Wil Myers, Trent Grisham or Tommy Pham to the bench.

Meantime, Marisnick has not appeared in a game since Aug. 30, has started only six games since joining the Padres, but not since playing both games in Anaheim with the DH in play.

The 30-year-old Marisnick is not complaining.

Sporadic playing time comes with the territory when you carve out a career as a reserve outfielder as Marisnick has over his nine-year career in the majors.

It’s all that more justifiable when the end goal is getting Tatis and his NL-leading 37 homers into the starting lineup on a regular basis.

“The situation for everybody kind of changed when Tatis went out there,” Marisnick said. “For the team, it’s better. He’s an unbelievable player and you need him in the lineup. He makes the team better. It squeezes some guys’ (playing time). Getting everyone playing time is a little bit harder, but it’s part of the game.

“You have to find a way to help the team win when not everything is going in your favor.”

Marisnick is just 3-for-24 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored since joining the Padres. He has struck out 11 times in his 26 plate appearances with the Padres after hitting .227/.294/.438 in 144 plate appearances with the Cubs to start the year.

“I don’t want to say it’s been tough,” Marisnick said. “When you have a guy like Tatis in the lineup, it’s amazing. The main goal for everyone here is to win. That’s what I’m here for. I want to win. If it’s coming in to pinch run in a big spot or coming in to pinch hit or whatever, I will be ready. It’s definitely a different dynamic than when I first came here but you adapt. Baseball is a game of adapting.”

About that overcrowded outfield

Grisham returned to center field on Wednesday a day after the Padres sat him for the fifth time in their last six games against left-handed starting pitching.

As odd as that is given Grisham’s reverse splits this year (.858 OPS in 112 plate appearances against lefties compared to a .747 OPS in 320 plate appearances against righties), it’s not a trend that is expected to continue.

Which might be music to Grisham’s ears because he declined to discuss the matter with the Union-Tribune: (“You’re talking to the wrong person,” he said).

“I think there’s going to be days where Grish is going to be starting and playing again against lefties,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “I think (Tuesday), I like the way Pham has been swinging it … and Wil has certainly been one of our more consistent players certainly since (before) the All-Star break. So it’s not necessarily the way we’re going to go each and every time. There’ll be different factors going into it.”

Like perhaps the hot hand.

Since the All-Star break, Myers is hitting .273/.364/.496, compared to Grisham’s (.221/.319/.338) and Pham’s (.194/.310/.336) second-half lines.

Notable

• The Padres will stage their annual alumni softball game against the Marine Corps Recruit Depot All-Stars at noon Sept. 15 at Beeson Field at MCRD San Diego. Notable participants will include Trevor Hoffman, Randy Jones, Steve Finley, Carlos Hernandez, Nick Hundley and Mark Loretta, among others.

Staff writer Kevin Acee contributed to this report.