Padres reassigned LHP Wade LeBlanc, RHP Paul Abraham, LHP Arturo Lopez, INF Edgar Gonzalez, INF Marshall McDougall, 2B Matt Antonelli, OF Mike Baxter, OF Will Venable, OF Drew Macias, OF Vince Sinisi, C Nick Hundley and C Jose Lobaton to minor league camp; optioned C Colt Morton and RHP Mauro Zarate to Triple-A Portland; optioned RHP Ernesto Frieri to Double-A San Antonio, optioned RHP Wilton Lopez to Single-A Lake Elsinore.
That’s quite a round of cuts. LeBlanc was a sleeper candidate to become the Padres’ fifth starter, but with both Justin Germano and Wilfredo Ledezma pitching well, there was no reason to rush him. Antonelli went 3-for-20 with a homer this spring. Venable was 6-for-18 with a couple of homers.
