Azocar is hitting ninth and playing right field in Friday's game against the Rockies, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Azocar is in the lineup for the first time this year, and David Dahl will take a seat after going 0-for-4 in the loss to the Rockies on Thursday. Azocar will likely split time with Dahl until Fernando Tatis Jr. comes off of his suspension.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Making case for roster spot
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Azocar has strengthened his chance of making the Padres' Opening Day roster with a strong spring, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Acee reports that there are four players -- Azocar, David Dahl, Tim Lopes and Rougned Odor -- who are likely in the running for the final two bench spots on the 26-man roster. Lopes has had the best spring of the bunch -- he's slashing .441/.462/.618 with a home run, eight RBI and six stolen bases -- but Azocar has looked good as well, slashing .303/.342/.606 with a homer, nine RBI and three thefts. Both Dahl and Odor have also been productive, so San Diego may have a difficult decision in deciding whom to keep on the Opening Day roster. One factor working in Azocar's favor, per Acee, is that he can provide solid defense at all three outfield spots, which is not the case for any of the other three players he's competing with.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Sitting Wednesday
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Azocar isn't starting Wednesday against the Giants, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Azocar saw fairly regular playing time over the second half of September, but he'll be on the bench for a third consecutive game to close out the regular season. Trent Grisham will start in center field and bat eighth once again.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: On bench again Tuesday
Rotowire
Azocar is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game versus San Francisco.
Azocar is 2-for-20 over his past seven contests and will sit Tuesday for San Diego's second consecutive game. Trent Grisham will make another start in center field, and it's a toss-up which player will be the favorite for playing time for the postseason.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Not starting Monday
Rotowire
Azocar isn't in the lineup Monday against the Giants.
After recording a hit in each of his last two games, Azocar will hand center field duties over to Trent Grisham, who will bat eighth.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Sitting out Friday
Rotowire
Azocar isn't starting Friday against the White Sox, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
After going hitless with five strikeouts in his last 13 at-bats, Azocar will get a day off Friday. In his place, Trent Grisham will start in center field and bat ninth.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Retreats to bench Saturday
Rotowire
Azocar isn't starting Saturday against the Rockies.
Azocar is on the bench for the second time in the last three games after he went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout Friday. He's recorded hits in each of his last eight games, but Trent Grisham will start in center field and bat eighth Saturday.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Absent from Thursday's lineup
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Azocar isn't starting Thursday against the Cardinals, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Azocar started the last five games and recorded hits in each matchup, going 7-for-17 with two doubles, two runs, two RBI, a stolen base and a strikeout. He'll get a day off while Trent Grisham starts in center field and bats eighth.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Usurps Grisham on depth chart
Rotowire
Azocar will start in center field and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Since his Aug. 20 call-up from Triple-A El Paso, Azocar has largely been serving as a short-side platoon player in center field, but he now appears to have overtaken the struggling Trent Grisham as the primary option in the position. Grisham is on the bench for the Padres' second straight matchup with a right-handed pitcher (Ryne Nelson), paving the way for Azocar to step into the lineup. During his latest stint in the majors, Azocar has posted a 1.046 OPS to go with two stolen bases in 14 games with the Friars.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Racks up three hits in win
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Azocar went 3-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 12-3 win over the Diamondbacks.
Azocar hadn't played since Sunday with the Padres facing a stretch of right-handed pitchers. He made the most of his chances, delivering RBI singles in the sixth and eighth innings of the blowout win. The rookie outfielder is up to a .278/.326/.684 slash line with five steals, 10 RBI and 19 runs scored through 176 plate appearances. He adds little in the way of power, but he should continue to see the short side of a platoon in center field while Trent Grisham gets most starts versus righties.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Collects four hits Friday
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Azocar went 4-for-5 with three runs in Friday's 13-5 win against Kansas City.
Azocar provided a spark from the No. 9 slot in the lineup, rapping four singles and coming around to score three times. Somewhat surprisingly, he didn't attempt any stolen bases, perhaps because he's struggled on the basepaths this season, recording only four steals on nine attempts. Azocar ranks in the 94th percentile for sprint speed according to Statcast, so he could become an asset as a base stealer if he's able to get a better handle on the intricacies of that aspect of the game.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
Azocar was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Saturday.
The Padres brought Azocar up from Triple-A as a corresponding move to designating Nomar Mazara for assignment. He is slashing .233/.280/.323 over 143 plate appearances in the big leagues this season and will provide depth for San Diego's outfield.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Sent to minors
Rotowire
Azocar was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old was called up from El Paso for Tuesday's doubleheader and will head back to the minors due to trade acquisitions Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury being added to the big-league roster. Azocar has a .603 OPS in 143 plate appearances in his first taste of the majors this year.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Called up for doubleheader
Rotowire
The Padres recalled Azocar from Triple-A El Paso ahead of Tuesday's doubleheader with the Rockies.
Azocar was added to the lineup card shortly before first pitch to fill the remaining vacancy on the 26-man active roster that was created by the Padres acquiring two big-league players (Juan Soto and Josh Bell) while trading away three (Eric Hosmer, Luke Voit and CJ Abrams) earlier Tuesday. While he's up with the Padres, Azocar isn't expected to serve as anything more than a depth option in the outfield.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
Azocar was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Friday.
Azocar made the Opening Day roster and has operated as a reserve outfielder through most of the season's first half, but he'll head to the minors ahead of the final series before the All-Star break. The 26-year-old has a .229/.277/.321 slash line with eight RBI, 12 runs and three stolen bases through his first 69 big-league games.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Remains out of lineup
Rotowire
Azocar isn't starting Thursday against the Rockies.
Azocar has gone just 1-for-18 with a run, an RBI, a walk and three strikeouts over the last six games and will take a seat for a second consecutive matchup. Esteury Ruiz is starting in left field and batting eighth.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Retreats to bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Azocar isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Azocar started in the last five games but went just 1-for-16 with a run, an RBI, a walk and three strikeouts during that time. Esteury Ruiz is taking over in left field and batting ninth Wednesday.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Picks up third straight start
Rotowire
Azocar will start in right field and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Giants.
Azocar will get his third start in a row after going hitless with a walk and an RBI in the prior two contests. Since the Padres are facing a left-handed starting pitcher (Alex Wood) for the third consecutive contest, it's difficult to discern who will handle the bulk of playing time in left field while Jurickson Profar (concussion) is on the 7-day injured list. The lefty-hitting Nomar Mazara should have a regular spot in the lineup versus right-handed pitching, while Azocar, Matt Batten and Brent Rooker are set to vie for playing time at the other corner-outfield spot.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Strikes out three times in loss
Rotowire
Azocar went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Phillies.
With Trent Grisham (shoulder) out of the lineup, Azocar was able to pick up his fifth straight start in the outfield. Grisham is considered day-to-day and could be ready to return to center field Tuesday in Arizona following Monday's off day, but Azocar would still have a potential path to playing time in right field, where he would occupy the short side of a platoon with the lefty-hitting Nomar Mazara.
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Padres' Jose Azocar: Collects three hits Wednesday
Rotowire
Azocar went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and two RBI in a 10-4 win against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Azocar singled home a run in the first inning and knocked an RBI double in the seventh. He also tripled in the third, falling a homer shy of a cycle. The outfielder came into the contest having collected only two hits in his previous 16 trips to the plate, but Wednesday's performance lifted his season slash line up to .267/.316/.378.
