GLENDALE, Ariz. — Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who skyrocketed to a No. 8 ranking in baseball by MLB.com after the White Sox traded him for James Shields in 2016, rubbed it in a little by having a monster day at the plate against the Sox on Sunday.
In a 7-6 Padres victory, Tatis went 4-for-4 with five RBI, a double and stolen base.
Shields, acquired to help stabilize a starting rotation when the Sox had gotten off to a decent start in 2016, has had a rough go on the South Side, going 9-19 with a 5.99 ERA in 43 starts.
Ouch II
Carson Fulmer’s second start was even worse than his first. The 2015 No. 8 overall draft pick allowed a leadoff homer to Manuel Margot and was tagged for four runs (all earned) on four hits and four walks. He faced three batters in the second inning without recording an out, already raising doubts about his status as the fifth starter. Fulmer, admitting “frustration,” got ahead in some counts but then fell behind and got too much of the plate with his pitches.
“It’s easy to say let this one go and get ready for the next one but it’s tough,’’ he said, “especially in the position I am in.’’
It wasn’t all bad
Left-hander Hector Santiago, a non-roster invitee and logical choice to man a spot in the rotation, replaced Fulmer with three innings of one-run ball, striking out four and walking one. It was the 30-year-old’s first run allowed in a team-high eight innings over three appearances. And Nate Jones struck out the side in the ninth, giving him five Ks over two scoreless innings in his first work after July elbow surgery.
Sox power
Center fielder Adam Engel, a .166 hitter as a rookie, hit his second homer, singled, drove in three runs and raised his average to .417. Catcher Welington Castillo singled off the wall and homered for his first two hits of the spring.
On deck
Sox at Athletics, Dylan Cease vs. Daniel Mengden, 2:05 p.m. Monday. The Sox are also playing a B game, with Lucas Giolito starting that one.
