Padres DFA Castellanos, put Johnson on 60 day DL and option Medica to AAA

The Padres have spent the last 24 hours dealing with an injury to their star 3B, an extra inning game and calling up two non-rostered players from the minors. That star 3B, Chase Headley, is headed to the 15 day DL with another calf strain. Alexi Amarista is expected to get the bulk of the playing time at 3B in his absence. That leaves a hole in the utility man role on the club. The extra innings game resulted in a hard-worked bullpen that could use another arm.

Enter INF Jace Peterson from AA and RHP Kevin Quackenbush from AAA. Last night the interwebs figured out these two were getting the call, but both players were not already on the 40 man roster. Some corresponding moves had to be made. The easy call was moving Josh Johnson from 15 day to the 60 DL day after undergoing Tommy John surgery.  The team also prioritized having an 13th pitcher over a extra bat and optioned Tommy Medica to AAA. The final move was a little tougher. Ultimately the team decided that Alex Castellanos would get designated for assignment.

Castellanos was acquired during Spring Training via a waiver claim. The Rangers had removed him off their 40 man roster and exposed him to waivers. The Padres thought that the former Dodger might come in handy as a reserve 2B/3B/LF. The team seems have soured on him after an error-plagued stint with the El Paso Chihuahuas. The infield just does not seem to suit the 27 year old and the team has a number of outfield options (including the rehabbing Cameron Maybin who will likely join the team in San Francisco and cause the club to option a pitcher to AAA).

The Padres also made some other moves in order to help out the minor league clubs. Jake Lemmerman had been playing 3B and SS for the San Antonio Missions, but now has been promoted to AAA. He will get the playing time that was vacated when the Padres recently release Alberto Gonzalez. The club also promoted Casey McElroy from High Lake Elsinore to AA San Antonio. McElroy is a 2B and missed all of last season with an injury and a good season with the Storm in 2012. The Missions had been using Cory Spangenberg at 2B, but perhaps he'll float to the OF a bit with Travis Jankowski recently sidelined. Finally, the team signed former Pirate, National and Astro Brian Bixler to a minor league contract and assigned him to AA. He will likely play some SS there now that Jace Peterson is with the Padres for at least two weeks, but can play a variety of positions.

Peterson likely will not get many starts with the Friars, but there could be some times where he spells Everth Cabrera who missed a game with knee issues earlier in the season. He played 3B in Spring Training so he could also play there a bit, especially if the team needs a double switch where Amarista gets relocated to the OF. As for Kevin Quackenbush, do not expect too much from him yet either. He will probably be on mop up duty and be ready to enter any other extra inning games that crop up. Both players are just getting their feet wet in the majors and the team probably just wants to give them a taste before counting on them more later down the line.

Finally we get to Tommy Medica. The 1B/OF came on strong to end 2013, but with limited playing time was not able to find the same form in 2014. He will be better served getting reps in the minors as he will get his first taste of AAA ball. The team seems more comfortable with Nady's veteran presence and experience in the OF as their RH bench bat and part time OF. That playing time was only going to lessen once Cameron Maybin makes his return.