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Padres Press Clips Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Article Source Author Page Syndergaard dominates Shields, Padres UT San Diego Lin 2 Padres’ Myers has ‘general soreness’ UT San Diego Lin 4 Renfroe tumbles in MLB.com top-100 list UT San Diego Sanders 5 Padres seek ‘substantive’ value in trades UT San Diego Lin 7 Minors: Jones hits sixth Double-A homer UT San Diego Sanders 9 Padres avoid perfect game; win streak snapped MLB.com Trezza 11 Padres’ offense can’t back Shields in tough loss MLB.com DiComo/Trezza 13 J. Upton ignores speculation, focuses on Padres MLB.com Trezza 15 Myers to avoid swinging due to soreness MLB.com Trezza 16 With deadline looming, Ross ready for key start MLB.com Woods 17 Kennedy named Bob Feller Act of Valor Award nominee MLB.com Simon 18 Pitching behind Padres’ 8-3 surge Padres.com Center 19 Padres blanked again, Syndergaard dominates as Mets win 4-0 Associated Press Fitzpatrick 20

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Syndergaard dominates Shields, Padres Mets shut out Padres, 4-0 By Dennis Lin | 6:30 p.m. July 28, 2015 | Updated, 7:30 p.m.

NEW YORK — With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, James Shields stepped into the

batter's box against the opposing pitcher. Noah Syndergaard, a 6-foot-6 right-hander who'd

yet to allow so much as a baserunner, reared back and fired a 98 mph fastball toward the

plate. Shields swung through it. The next pitch came in just as hot. Shields flailed again. The

pitch after that sizzled at 97 mph, and Shields gazed at a ball. Still, the fate of the at-bat felt

sealed.

With the crowd at Citi Field on its feet and chants of "Let's go, Mets!", Syndergaard reached

back and flipped an 81 mph curveball into the catcher's mitt, past the opposing pitcher.

Strike three.

In Tuesday's 4-0 defeat, the Padres stood at the plate as Syndergaard took a perfect-game bid

into the top of the seventh. The Mets' towering prodigy reared back and fired a 97 mph

sinker, a bowling ball of a pitch, but it caught too much of the plate. A split-second later and

the bid was over, gone on Will Venable's single up the middle.

The next batter, Yangervis Solarte, made it back-to-back singles, and an error made it

runners on third with no outs.

Then Matt Kemp popped out, Justin Upton grounded into a double play and the Padres (47-

53) were reminded of these two teams' diverging paths.

A day earlier, the Mets (52-48) made another trade, bolstering their pursuit of a wild card

with the acquisition of veteran reliever Tyler Clippard. Some wonder if Venable, who was

drafted under Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson's tenure in San Diego, could join their

ranks before Friday's trade deadline.

Meanwhile, the Padres opened a 10-game, 10-day road trip with their 15th shutout loss of the

season. How many of them will return to San Diego the night of Aug. 6 is unknown.

Shields, the subject of widespread speculation, put together one of his more economical

starts, surrendering a mammoth home run in the first but otherwise looking effective over

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seven-plus innings. He allowed seven hits and no walks, struck out four and induced eight

ground outs. He was lifted after being tagged for a leadoff double in the eighth.

Moments after Shields returned to the dugout, reliever Shawn Kelley surrendered an upper-

deck home run to Curtis Grandson, that making it 4-0.

"I told him, ‘Any trouble, any runners in scoring position, I’ll come and get you,’" Padres

interim manager Pat Murphy said of Shields. "He said, ‘Fine.’ Yeah, the idea was to try to get

him through that inning and get him realizing what a great effort it was, even if we didn’t

come back and win.

"Shawn’s been great lately, made one tough pitch."

Granderson's shot had been no match for the game's first two-run blast: Lucas Duda's 462-

foot swat to right-center in the first, the longest by a Mets player in Citi Field history. It had

come on an 0-2 two-seamer. Catcher Derek Norris had set up on the inner half of the plate.

"It was a front-door two-seam, and I think it might’ve been on the black," Shields said.

"That’s a pretty good pitch. He just pulled his hands inside and made a good swing on it.

Nothing else I can do about that."

Syndergaard, whom the Padres had nicked for seven runs in a June 2 start at Petco Park,

took the lead and ran with it. He finished with eight masterful innings, having allowed three

hits and no walks. He struck out nine.

"His stuff was incredible, and he was all over the zone," Murphy said. "He maintained 97

(mph) over eight innings. We had him on the ropes that one time and didn’t come through."

Clippard made his first appearance with his new team, retiring the Padres in the ninth. Some

wonder if Shields, the Padres' prize free-agent acquisition of the winter, soon could be going

somewhere else, too.

Asked if the trade deadline had been on his mind, Shields said: "I thought I pitched pretty

well, so no."

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Padres' Myers has 'general soreness' Assistant GM Fred Uhlman Jr. says club "pleased" with results of exam By Dennis Lin | 4:02 p.m. July 28, 2015

NEW YORK — Padres outfielder-first baseman Wil Myers has been diagnosed with "general soreness" in his surgically repaired left wrist.

Myer, who had a bone spur removed in the wrist June 18, experienced soreness after

his second day of swinging a short bat and was examined Monday by his surgeon,

hand specialist Dr. Donald Sheridan, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

"Basically, he just has some general soreness that was to be expected with his injury

and the procedure," Padres Assistant General Manager Fred Uhlman Jr. said Tuesday.

"He’s back in San Diego. He’s going to continue his therapy without hitting for the

next five or six days. And then we’ll re-evaluate him Sunday or Monday to see where

he is, but there was nothing negative from the exam."

Uhlman Jr. said Myers did not undergo an MRI. He was asked if, after a minor

setback, Myers' rehab will be more gradual.

"We’re going to be cautious, but we were pleased with the exam yesterday," Uhlman

Jr. said. "We’re going to be cautious with it and see what happens here in five days.

We hope that the soreness will have calmed down by then and get back on track."

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Renfroe tumbles in MLB.com top-100 list Outfielder is Padres' prospect rep on midseason updated rankings By Jeff Sanders | 2:23 p.m. July 28, 2015

Just in time for the trading deadline, MLB.com has updated its top-100 prospects list,

which in Padres land is a closer look at just what A.J. Preller needs to revitalize with

his dealings this week.

With Austin Hedges in the majors through at least the end of the week, the Padres

have just one prospect inside the top 100. A slow start to the season, however, played

a large role in outfielder Hunter Renfroe slipping from 48 to 85 in the updated list.

Only Twins shortstop Nick Gordon (-58), Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy (-57) and

D-backs right-hander Braden Shipley (-53) dropped further than the 37 spots that

Renfroe tumbled after hitting .242/.305/.385 over the first half of the season with

Double-A San Antonio.

A year ago, Renfroe hit 21 homers across two levels and then finished tied for the lead

with six homers in the Arizona Fall League, a prospect finishing school of sorts. He

has rebounded with a .322/.365/.565 batting line and six homers in 31 games in the

second half, again with Double-A San Antonio.

MLB.com also update the Padres’ top 30 prospects, which includes a pair of 2015

draft picks in right-hander Austin Smith (4) and catcher Austin Allen (18).

Padres' top 30 prospects RK Prospect Current affiliate ETA

1 OF Hunter Renfroe Double-A San Antonio 2016

2 RHP Colin Rea Triple-A El Paso 2015

3 SS Jose Rondon Double-A San Antonio 2017

4 RHP Austin Smith Arizona Rookie League 2019

5 OF Travis Jankowski Triple-A El Paso 2017

6 SS Ruddy Giron Low Single-A Fort Wayne 2018

7 RHP Jacob Nix Arizona Rookie League 2018

8 OF Michael Gettys Low Single-A Fort Wayne 2018

9 RHP Tayron Guerrero Double-A San Antonio 2016

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10 OF Rymer Liriano Triple-A El Paso 2015

11 RHP Ryan Butler Double-A San Antonio 2017

12 RHP Cory Mazzoni Triple-A El Paso 2015

13 1B Alex Dickerson Triple-A El Paso 2016

14 RHP Dinelson Lamet Low Single-A Fort Wayne 2018

15 2B Fernando Perez High Single-A Lake Elsinore 2017

16 LHP Jose Castillo Short-season Tri-City 2018

17 RHP Zech Lemond High Single-A Lake Elsinore 2017

18 C Austin Allen Short-season Tri-City 2018

19 LHP Brad Wieck High Single-A Lake Elsinore 2018

20 RHP Rafael De Paula High Single-A Lake Elsinore 2016

21 OF Nick Torres High Single-A Lake Elsinore 2018

22 OF Franchy Cordero Low Single-A Fort Wayne 2018

23 RHP Justin Hancock Double-A San Antonio 2016

24 RHP Casey Kelly Double-A San Antonio 2015

25 2B Taylor Lindsey Double-A San Antonio 2016

26 OF Franmil Reyes Low Single-A Fort Wayne 2018

27 2B Luis Urias Low Single-A Fort Wayne 2018

28 RHP Elliot Morris Double-A San Antonio 2017

29 OF Auston Bousfield High Single-A Lake Elsinore 2017

30 3B/1B Duanel Jones Double-A San Antonio 2017

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Padres seek 'substantive' value in trades San Diego likely will be more measured than it was in December By Dennis Lin | 1 p.m. July 28, 2015

NEW YORK — The Padres weren't facing an official deadline in December when they seemingly acquired a new lineup overnight.

Now, with baseball's non-waiver trade deadline looming Friday, they are. They

entered Tuesday's series opener against the Mets five games under .500, and rival

officials are speculating that A.J. Preller will sell nearly as much as he bought.

But while the Padres general manager has been very active in discussions with other

teams, he is looking for "substantive" value in potential deals and might take a more

measured approach than he did seven months ago, a source familiar with the team's

thinking said.

Knowing they need to regain some financial flexibility to contend in 2016, the Padres

have been exploring potential deals for starter James Shields, whose contract will pay

him $65 million over the next three years, and closer Craig Kimbrel, owed $25 million

over the next two seasons.

The current return for Shields, however, isn't as favorable as the Padres would like,

and there is some thought that the Padres might attempt to pass the 33-year-old

through waivers in August and trade him then. Although San Diego has had numerous

talks with other teams about right-handers Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross, at least

some in the organization would prefer to keep both, as they remain under club

control.

Meanwhile, sources indicate that the Padres have yet to receive what they feel is a

satisfactory offer for their most prominent soon-to-be free agent, left fielder Justin

Upton. The Padres would like to recoup close to the value they gave up for him, but

that seems unlikely considering he would be a two-month rental and ineligible to

receive a qualifying offer. The possibility, however faint, still exists that San Diego

doesn't trade Upton and accepts a compensatory draft pick should he sign elsewhere.

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Much could change before Friday's 1 p.m. (Pacific Time) deadline, of course. Upton is

one of the top bat's on the market, and while several high-profile arms remain, Ross

and Cashner both represent attractive second-tier options. The Padres still seem likely

to trade most of their impending free agents, with Upton, right-hander Ian Kennedy,

reliever Joaquin Benoit and outfielder Will Venable among the candidates.

Even as the Padres realize they must retool ahead of next season, some within the

organization believe that, if what's perceived as fair value isn't there, they may wait to

make their most sweeping changes after the season.

One high-ranking executive suggested the front office is experiencing some measure

of buyer's remorse - the inclusion of outfielder Melvin Upton Jr.'s onerous contract in

April's trade for Kimbrel being the primary example - and less eager to jump into a

flurry of activity this time around, especially with less than three days to decide.

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Minors: Jones hits sixth Double-A homer Recapping the latest action from around the Padres' farm system By Jeff Sanders | 8 a.m. July 29, 2015

Duanel Jones is officially a prospect. At least according to MLB.com, which ranked

him 30th out of 30 in its updated look at the Padres farm system on Tuesday.

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=sd

To celebrate, Jones swatted his sixth homer for Double-A San Antonio in a 3-2 loss to

Corpus Christi.

Jones is hitting .258 in 55 games in the Texas League after starting the year in low

Single-A Fort Wayne, where he hit seven homers, drove in 36 runs and fashioned a

.327/.382/.536 batting line over 41 games.

Right-hander Casey Kelly (4.26) allowed two runs (one earned) in five innings in a no-

decision for the Missions (43-59).

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (54-49)

• Tacoma 9, Chihuahuas 4: 2B Casey McElroy (.275) drove in two runs and CF

Rymer Liriano (.277) went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.

3B Will Middlebrooks (.333) collected two hits and RHP Daniel McCutchen (6-

6, 4.50) allowed seven runs in five innings.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (39-62)

• Inland Empire 5, Storm 0: Of the Storm's three hits, two were doubles by RF

Nick Torres (.328) and 3B Gabriel Quintana (.248). RHP Kyle Loyd (5-8, 5.00)

struck out five and allowed two runs in six innings in a loss.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (49-51)

• TinCaps 6, Dayton 5: 3B Luis Tejada (.318) drove in three runs on three hits and

SS Ruddy Giron (.305) went 4-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs

scored. RHP T.J. Weir (4-3, 3.90) earned the win with three scoreless innings of

two-hit ball.

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SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (23-17)

• Dust Devils 6, Spokane 1: DH Carlos Belen (.223) drove in a run on two doubles

and C Austin Allen (.200) hit his sixth double. RHP Trevor Megill (2-0, 3.00)

struck out two in two scoreless innings for the win.

ROOKIE DSL PADRES (22-28)

• Padres 3, Reds 1: RF Jaffe Garcia (.268) drove in two runs and 1B Enmanuel

Arias (.231) went 2-for-3 with a run scored. LHP Cristian Machuca (2-1, 3.41)

struck out six and allowed a run in five innings.

ROOKIE AZL PADRES (13-17)

• Brewers 5, Padres 4: RHP Jacob Nix (0-1, 4.91) allowed two unearned runs in 1

2/3 innings, striking out one and walking two.

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Padres avoid perfect game; win streak snapped Venable spoils Syndergaard's bid, but San Diego manages just four hits By Joe Trezza / MLB.com | 12:45 AM ET NEW YORK -- At no point during Tuesday's eventual 4-0 loss to the Mets at Citi Field did this particular Padres team feel destined for dubious history. No team in San Diego's history has even fallen victim to a

perfect game, and that's still the case after Will Venable foiled Noah Syndergaard's attempt at perfection with a seventh-inning single.

But it was interesting for a while, as Syndergaard powered through the middle innings of an outing not

unlike Clayton Kershaw's on this same field less than a week ago, collecting his 16th, 17th and 18th consecutive outs without a hiccup while most of the 26,034 present stood, cheered and tried not to jinx it.

By the time Venable stepped to the plate to lead off the seventh, most at Citi Field had one thing on their

minds. Except the guys in the third-base dugout.

"No way," said first baseman Yonder Alonso. "No way. Not one percent of our guys in there thought that. We're all battling. That's the last thing we're thinking."

When Alonso smacked San Diego's third hit, a single to right in the eighth, it was about an inning too

late. The Padres squandered their only chance to score against Syndergaard in the seventh, as Venable

moved to third when Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada misplayed Yangervis Solarte's infield single. But Matt Kemp popped out and Justin Upton hit into an inning-ending double play, ending the threat.

"At that point, it's a two-run game," said Venable. "We're thinking get a guy on base and go from there,

because we're still in the game."

San Diego had hoped to build on the momentum from a three-game win streak to close a four-game

series against the Marlins. Instead it ran into Syndergaard, who was nothing like the pitcher the Padres

saw June 2.

"His deal was that he was up in the zone," Alonso said about the earlier matchup, when San Diego

scored seven runs in four innings off the rookie. "Today, he was for the most part down in the zone."

Syndergaard actually struck out one fewer batter than he did in that June 2 start. He allowed 10 hits and

struck out 10 that night in what will go down as a wacky, feast-or-famine anomaly. Tuesday he was just

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dominant, allowing two balls to the outfield over the first six perfect innings. Overall, he limited the Padres

to three singles over eight innings in a performance that dipped their team batting average below the

Mets' for the lowest mark in baseball, at .235 over 100 games.

"What happened today, it is what it is. But generally we were in good hitters' counts," Alonso said. "With

him, you can be up, 2-0, and it's like being down, 0-2."

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Padres' offense can't back Shields in tough loss By Anthony DiComo and Joe Trezza / MLB.com | July 28th, 2015 NEW YORK -- Noah Syndergaard took a perfect game into the seventh inning Tuesday at Citi Field, continuing his emergence as one of the game's brightest young pitchers in a 4-0 win over the Padres.

Combined with a Nationals loss, the win moved the Mets within a game of first place for the first time

since June 20.

Dominant from the start, Syndergaard struck out six of the first 13 batters he faced, keeping the

basepaths clean until Will Venable and Yangervis Solarte led off the seventh with consecutive singles. The rookie improved to 5-1 with a 1.46 ERA in seven starts at Citi Field, beating a Padres team that

handed him his worst loss of the season earlier this year in San Diego.

"I don't think any of us could have predicted the rise to where he's at this fast," Mets manager Terry

Collins said of Syndergaard, who struck out nine. "He was outstanding." The Mets received all the offense they would need from first baseman Lucas Duda, who blasted a two-run homer off James Shields in the first inning. Otherwise brilliant, Shields retired 11 straight at one point and pitched into the eighth. Curtis Granderson doubled the Mets' margin with a two-run homer off Shawn Kelley in the eighth, the first of those two runs charged to Shields. "I'm feeling a bit more comfortable," Duda said. "But Noah was outstanding. That was a great job by him and a great overall team win."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Noah dominant: When Yonder Alonso singled through the right side to open the eighth, it marked the second consecutive inning in which Syndergaard allowed a leadoff hit. It also hardly seemed to faze him.

Syndergaard popped up Derek Norrisand struck out the next two batters he faced, whiffing Alexi Amarista on a 97-mph fastball to cap the strongest outing of his young career.

"It was kind of in the back of my head from when the game started," Syndergaard said of his perfect

game bid. "You can't pay too much attention to what's happening, you've just got to get back on the

mound and continue to make quality pitches."

Shields solid: On any other night, San Diego's ace would have been the one dealing. Normally a fly-ball pitcher, the righty induced eight groundouts -- including two double plays -- and struck out four. He didn't

walk a batter for just the second time this season. Padres interim manager Pat Murphy let Shields start

the eighth inning hoping his ace could earn a complete game.

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"The idea was to try to get him through that inning and help him realize what a great effort it was, even if

we didn't come back and win," Murphy said.

Duda goes deep: It helped that Syndergaard pitched all but one inning with a multiple-run lead. With two outs in the first, Duda hit a two-run homer to center field that Statcast™ measured at 456 feet, besting his own mark for the longest of the year by a Met. It was also Duda's third home run in his last three

games.

"It was a front-door two-seam [fastball] and it might have been on the black," Shields said. "That's a good

pitch, man. He did a good job pulling his hands inside that ball. Nothing I can do about it."

Ven-able: The subject of trade rumors targeting the Mets as a possible landing spot, Venable started in center field and hit leadoff for the Padres. He hit two line drives up the middle, one caught by

Syndergaard, and another to start the 7th that shot into center for San Diego's first hit. That ended a

streak of 18 consecutive batters set down by Syndergaard to start the game.

"He was really consistent, and that's why he was getting the low pitch," Venable said. "He was able to

work off that."

QUOTABLE "As far as I'm concerned, I think I'm going to be here for a while. That's why I signed up to be a Padre,

not only to win now, but to win in the next four years." -- Shields, on trade rumors

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Syndergaard's nine strikeouts give him 91 for the season. Only Dwight Gooden (107), Nolan Ryan (103)

and Matt Harvey (102) struck out more in their first 14 career starts.

The Padres avoided falling victim to the first perfect game in their history. No San Diego pitcher has ever

thrown one, either.

WHAT'S NEXT Padres: Right-hander Tyson Ross takes a 6-8 record and 3.45 ERA into what could be his final start in a Padres uniform, a 7:10 p.m. ET tilt against New York. Ross is rumored to be on the trading block after

2 1/2 seasons in San Diego.

Mets: Wildly inconsistent throughout this season, Bartolo Colon will look to string together consecutive quality starts when he takes the mound for a 7:10 p.m. ET game Tuesday against the Padres. Colon

delivered his best start of the season last time out, holding the Dodgers to one run in eight innings of a

loss to Clayton Kershaw.

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J. Upton ignores speculation, focuses on Padres By Joe Trezza / MLB.com | July 28th, 2015 NEW YORK -- Justin Upton hit his 16th home run on Sunday in front of a slew of scouts employed by teams that are actively seeking his services. In the 48 hours since, the Royals acquired an ace, the Mets added an All-Star reliever and the Blue Jays, well, they made a Rocky Mountain-sized splash.

Now with the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaching, Upton's name once again tops many lists counting down those next to go. It has been the case for much of his career.

"It gets easier," Upton said before the Padres began a three-game series against the Mets on Tuesday. "I try not to think that deeply into it. My job is to come here and I'm a Padre, and I'm going to go play a baseball game as a Padre."

The subject of trade speculation for years during his time with the D-backs, Upton remains attractive to teams looking for a rental bat thanks to his age (27) and contract status. Upton is set to become a free agent after this season, and he isn't owed anything after the roughly $7 million remaining on his deal through this season.

The three-time All-Star's .251/.330/.429 slash line entering Tuesday is below his career average, but he did have 50 RBIs.

Depending on what rumor mill you subscribe to, upwards of half a dozen teams are reported to have interest in the outfielder, including the Mets.

"There is a lot of speculation, like there is before the Draft," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said. "It's part of baseball."

"Everybody is human. You hear your name being tossed around and what teams are interested. But you have to focus your energy on being a professional and playing the game every night," Upton said. "That's my place, out there in left field and standing in the box. That's the only time I don't have to worry about it."

Upton declined to answer when asked whether he prefers to be traded or remain with San Diego.

"I'm not answering that question. I'm a Padre and I'm here to help this team win," Upton said. "Our goal is to win tonight. At the end of this series, on Friday, that decision is [general manager] A.J. Preller's."

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Myers to avoid swinging due to soreness Padres outfielder to be re-examined next week after rehab shut down By Joe Trezza / MLB.com | July 28th, 2015 NEW YORK -- Shut down from a rehab program that saw him hitting off the tee as recently as Friday, outfielder Wil Myers won't swing for five or six days after an examination of his injured left wrist revealed little more than "general soreness," assistant general manager Fred Uhlman Jr. said Tuesday.

Myers will continue therapy and be re-examined early next week, after which it will be determined if he can resume baseball activities. The Padres were hopeful Myers could rejoin the team on this current 10-game road trip, which began Tuesday against the Mets at Citi Field. That looks unlikely now, as San Diego pledged to be careful with Myers following this minor setback from June wrist surgery.

"We're going to be cautious," Uhlman Jr. said. "We're hoping the soreness will be calmed down by then and we can get him right back on track."

Acquired from the Rays in the offseason, Myers has played just 35 games, and just three since May 10. The Padres don't want to rush Myers back because of the delicate nature of the injury. His left wrist accounts for the base hand of his often powerful swing.

"It's like a sprinter's legs," interim manager Pat Murphy said. "He's a big guy that our lineup has been missing. ... It's just a slight setback."

• Uhlman said right-hander Brandon Morrow hovered around 91-94 mph with his fastball during his first rehab start following shoulder inflammation. Morrow is scheduled to make his second rehab start Thursday for Triple-A El Paso, and at least one more after that.

"When I talked to him Sunday, he said he felt fine," Uhlman said. "He said he was generally tired, like he normally would be." • Infielder Cory Spangenberg will be reevaluated Friday or Saturday, and he could rejoin the Padres towards the end of the road trip. He's been on the disabled list since June 28 with a left knee contusion. He will continue to rehab in Arizona.

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With Deadline looming, Ross ready for key start By Alden Woods / MLB.com | July 28th, 2015 Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said the team is still exploring its options before Friday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. The Padres are doing the same, but are likely sellers. Each club is at a tipping point that will affect its future both this season and beyond. But first, they'll have to decide this series in Queens.

The Mets will send veteran right-hander Bartolo Colon to the mound against Padres righty Tyson Ross in the second of a three-game series.

Colon, 42, hasn't won since June 12, but the blame doesn't fall solely on him -- he's posted three quality starts since then. Colon is 9-9 with a 4.60 ERA this season.

Ross, 28, is 6-8 with a 3.45 ERA. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs since a start on June 15. Things to know for this game

• There are plenty of rumors surrounding the Padres and their Trade Deadline plans, but some of the heaviest focus has been on Ross. It's possible this could be his final start in a Padres uniform, with the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Cubs, among others, reportedly interested.

• Colon has excelled against the Padres in his 18-year career. In five starts against them, Colon is 2-2 with a 2.67 ERA.

• This winless streak is unusual for Colon, but not without precedent. He's lost his past five decisions, the first time he's lost five or more in a row since 2007, when he lost six consecutive while pitching for the Angels.

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Kennedy named Bob Feller Act of Valor Award nominee By Andrew Simon / MLB.com | July 28th, 2015 The active Major League players and Hall of Famers nominated for the 2015 Bob Feller Act of Valor

Award were revealed Tuesday.

The award, now in its third year, honors the legacy of Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller, who became the

first professional athlete to enlist in the U.S. military after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. A current

MLB player, a Hall of Famer and a U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer are recognized each Veterans Day in a

ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.

This year's 15 player nominees are Brad Ziegler of the D-backs, Darren O'Day of the Orioles, Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox, Adam LaRoche of the White Sox, Jay Bruce of the Reds, Trevor Bauer of the Indians, Wade Davis of the Royals, Steve Cishek of the Cardinals, Jonathan Lucroy of the Brewers, Brian Dozier of the Twins, Curtis Granderson of the Mets, Sean Doolittle of the A's, Charlie Mortonof the Pirates, Ian Kennedy of the Padres and Craig Stammen of the Nationals.

Finalists in this category will be announced later in the season.

The five Hall of Fame nominees are Bob Lemon, Johnny Bench, George Brett, Andre Dawson and Rod

Carew.

Winners are selected for the way they have reflected the values, integrity and dedication to service

displayed by Feller, who missed three full seasons of his prime during World War II. Past honorees have

been active players Justin Verlander andNick Swisher, and Hall of Famers Yogi Berra and Tommy Lasorda.

The Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation is also creating two new awards this year: a Peer-to-Peer

Mentoring Award for junior sailors and the Jerry Coleman Award for a Staff Noncommissioned Officer in

the U.S. Marine Corps. At age 18, Coleman postponed his baseball career to join the Marines as a Naval

Aviation Cadet. Coleman eventually became the only Major Leaguer to see combat in both World War II

and the Korean War. Coleman later became a beloved broadcaster for the Padres, and he was honored

by the Hall of Fame as a Ford C. Frick Award recipient in 2005. He died last Jan. 5 at age 89.

"The legacies of Bob Feller, Jerry Coleman and the greatest generation are embodied throughout these

players and their respective clubs, honoring those who serve this great nation, and for this we are forever

grateful," Foundation president Peter Fertig said in a statement.

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Pitching behind Padres' 8-3 surge Upton (HRs), Kemp (RBIs) top 2014 leaders By Bill Center / San Diego Padres | July 28th, 2015

In case you haven't noticed, the Padres have been getting some solid pitching recently. Ditto, for the most part, for the defense behind that pitching.

Miami managed to score only four runs in the Padres' three-game winning streak to cap a 6-3 homestand. And during their 8-3 run, the Padres have allowed only 36 runs - and only two unearned runs - to score.

The five starters have a 1.82 earned run average during the last tour through the rotation. And over the last 11 games, the rotation's ERA is 3.08. As for the bullpen, closer Craig Kimbrel has earned the save in each of the Padres 10 victories. And Joaquim Benoit and Kimbrel have worked the last three wins in tandem - allowing a combined no runs on one hit and no walks with six strikeouts over six innings. FROM THE SCORECARD: -- Some comparisons between the 2015 Padres as they head into Tuesday's 100th game and the 2014 Padres for the entire season. Home runs -- Justin Upton leads the 2015 Padres with 16 homers; Yasmani Grandal led the 2014 Padres with 15 for the entire season. RBIs - Matt Kemp leads the 2015 Padres with 54; Jedd Gyorkoled the 2014 Padres with 51 for the entire season.

-- The Padres are 38-0 this season when leading after eight innings. Since the start of the 2014 season, the Padres are 101-1 when leading after eight innings.

-- The Padres are 30-21 (.588) this season in games decided by two or fewer runs. Seventeen of the last 19 runs have been by two or fewer runs. The Padres are 46-28 when they score two or more runs and 43-19 when they score three or more. They are also 32-18 in games when they hit a home run.

-- Craig Kimbrel has successfully converted 29 of 30 save opportunities this season, including 20 in a row. Over his last 26 appearances, Kimbrel has allowed two runs on 13 hits and 10 walks with 32 strikeouts over 25 2/3 innings for an earned run average of 0.70. His ERA during the run has dropped from 5.74 to 2.75. He has allowed no hits and only one walk with seven strikeouts over his last six, one-inning appearances.

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Padres blanked again, Syndergaard dominates as Mets win 4-0 MIKE FITZPATRICK AP JUL 29, 2015 12:03p ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- Justin Upton and the San Diego Padresbecame the first major league team to face Mets rookie Noah Syndergaard more than once. A second look hardly helped. Syndergaard retired the first 18 batters in his latest overpowering performance, and New York got two-run homers from Lucas Dudaand Curtis Granderson to beat James Shields and the Padres 4-0 on Tuesday night. "He throws pretty hard, and he was being aggressive," Shields said. "That's a tough guy to beat." San Diego had its three-game winning streak snapped and was shut out for the 15th time this season, most in the majors. Firing his fastball up to 98 mph, Syndergaard (5-5) struck out nine, walked none and allowed only three singles in eight innings. The big right-hander with the long, golden locks outpitched Shields and avenged a 7-2 loss at San Diego on June 2. "He had good life and good command on his fastball. Anytime you throw as hard as he does and you put that combo together, you're going to be pretty good," San Diego's Jedd Gyorko said. "And the curveball. Obviously, he's got a pretty good curveball. If you can command the fastball with the velocity that he has, he's going to be pretty tough to get to." Syndergaard gave up a career-high seven runs and 10 hits over four innings against the Padres in June, though he struck out 10 and walked none in that game. "To be honest, I wasn't really thinking about that outing," he said. "A lot's happened in a month and a half." This time, he barely got touched. "His stuff was incredible," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said.

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Making his 14th major league start, Syndergaard lost his bid for a perfect game when Will Venable lined a clean single up the middle on the first pitch of the seventh, prompting a warm ovation from the Citi Field crowd of 26,034. Yangervis Solarte followed with an infield single, and Venable went to third on an error by shortstop Ruben Tejada. That's when Syndergaard buckled down to protect a 2-0 lead. He retired No. 3 hitter Matt Kemp on a popup and got Upton to ground into an inning-ending double play. "Just shows how he's progressing as a pitcher," Duda said. Syndergaard gave a small fist pump as he walked off the mound and then pitched around Yonder Alonso'sleadoff single in the eighth, striking out his final two batters. He threw 70 of 107 pitches for strikes and turned the game over to Tyler Clippard, who finished a four-hitter in his Mets debut after Granderson homered in the eighth. "Noah put on a show tonight," Clippard said. "What I saw out there tonight was pretty special." New York and San Diego entered with the lowest batting averages in the majors at .236, and it was the Mets who provided all the offense. Daniel Murphy singled with two outs in the first and Duda drove an 0-2 pitch from Shields (8-4) halfway up a rarely reached section of stands just to the right of center field. "It was a two-seam, and it might have been on the black," Shields said. "It was a pretty good pitch. He just pulled his hands inside and made a good swing on it. I mean, nothing else I can do about that." Pinch-hitter Juan Lagares chased Shields with a leadoff double in the eighth, and Granderson homered into the second deck in right off Shawn Kelley. Before the game, Upton said he isn't getting distracted by all the trade talk ahead of Friday's non-waiver deadline. "I try not to worry about things that I can't control," he explained. "All that stuff is not important when you're out there. ... It's been the same thing every year."

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Upton can become a free agent after the season. "I think everybody's human," he said. "You hear your name being tossed around, that teams are interested. But you have to focus your energy on being professional." Shields might be on the market, too. "As far as I'm concerned, I think I'm going to be here for a while," he said. "That's why I signed with the Padres, not only to win now but to win in the next four years. I think we're still on the right track. We've just got to keep going."

TRAINER'S ROOM Padres: RHP Brandon Morrow (shoulder) is slated to throw 60 pitches Thursday for Triple-A El Paso in his next rehab outing and will probably need one more after that before he is activated, assistant GM Fred Uhlman Jr. said. ... OF Wil Myers (wrist) was examined in Arizona by his surgeon following a recent setback and diagnosed with general soreness. He will continue therapy without hitting for the next five or six days and then be re-examined early next week. "We're going to be cautious with it," Uhlman said.

HE'S OUT After returning this month from an 80-game drug suspension, Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia was banned an additional 162 games Tuesday by Major League Baseball following a second positive test for performance-enhancing substances.

UP NEXT Padres RHP Tyson Ross (6-8) faces 42-year-old Bartolo Colon (9-9) in the middle game of the series Wednesday night.

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Syndergaard dominates Shields, PadresMets shut out Padres, 4-0

Padres' Myers has 'general soreness'Assistant GM Fred Uhlman Jr. says club "pleased" with results of exam

Renfroe tumbles in MLB.com top-100 listOutfielder is Padres' prospect rep on midseason updated rankingsPadres' top 30 prospects

Padres seek 'substantive' value in tradesSan Diego likely will be more measured than it was in December

Minors: Jones hits sixth Double-A homerRecapping the latest action from around the Padres' farm systemTRIPLE-A EL PASO (54-49)HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (39-62)LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (49-51)SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (23-17)ROOKIE DSL PADRES (22-28)ROOKIE AZL PADRES (13-17)

Padres avoid perfect game; win streak snappedVenable spoils Syndergaard's bid, but San Diego manages just four hits

Padres' offense can't back Shields in tough lossJ. Upton ignores speculation, focuses on PadresMyers to avoid swinging due to sorenessPadres outfielder to be re-examined next week after rehab shut downBy Joe Trezza / MLB.com | July 28th, 2015

With Deadline looming, Ross ready for key startKennedy named Bob Feller Act of Valor Award nomineePitching behind Padres' 8-3 surgeUpton (HRs), Kemp (RBIs) top 2014 leaders

Padres blanked again, Syndergaard dominates as Mets win 4-0Mike Fitzpatrick AP JUL 29, 2015 12:03p ET