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Friars Call Up Young Outfielder to Bolster Lineup

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Padres
By Noah Camras | Last updated 8/8/23

After losing three of four to the Dodgers and dropping to 55-58 on the year, the Padres need help just about anywhere they can find it.

On Tuesday, they decided to make a move that will hopefully provide just that, recalling outfielder Jose Azocar from Triple-A El Paso. To make room on the active roster, infielder Matthew Batten was sent back to Triple-A.

Azocar has appeared in 26 games for the Friars this season at the MLB level.

In those games, he's slashing .235/.250/.275 with three RBIs in 51 at-bats. He's shown off the speed, though, stealing six bases.

Azocar is a speedy outfielder from Venezuela who made his MLB debut with the Padres in 2022. Last year, he appeared in 98 games, slashing .257/.298/.332 with 10 RBIs and five stolen bases.

Azocar will hope to impact games with his speed. He's always a great choice to come in and pinch-run late in the game, and could provide a boost helping the Friars manufacture an extra run in a close game.

The Padres are currently historically bad in close games, going 6-18 in one-run games and 0-10 in extra inning games. A speedster like Azocar is the exact type of player who can help them swing a game the other way.

As for Batten, he was solid in limited time this year, slashing .261/.320/.391 with one home run and three RBIs in 23 at-bats. He'll now head back to Triple-A, though, hoping to continue to improve his game.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Padres and was syndicated with permission.

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