Because of how he landed on the disabled list, a small step – or shift – for Tim Federowicz has been the biggest. On the mend since tearing the lateral meniscus in his right knee early in spring training, Federowicz caught his first bullpen Friday afternoon at Chase Field, catching 30 pitches from Odrisamer Despaigne while periodically shifting from his left knee to his right in his set-up.
The significance?
The mundane move was exactly what Federowicz was doing during a spring training game on March 13 when he heard a pop in his right knee.
“It still feels weird, but it’s all mental,” Federowicz said. “Nothing hurts as far as the knee goes. It’s just working back through that. To be able to do that, I feel like we’re ahead of schedule because we’ve been able to do that.”
The schedule to date has been rather slow and tedious.
He was relegated to crutches for most of the first six weeks outside his surgery. From there, he slowly began to add full-body workouts, running, throwing, squatting and catching off pitching machines to his rehab schedule.
Walking off the field Friday, Federowicz had been swinging the bat for nearly a month – including hitting in simulated games – and had begun running up to 90 percent.
Up next: Running the bases and then, hopefully, a rehab assignment with one of the Padres’ affiliates.
“I’m hoping to get into a rehab start by the end of this month or early next month,” Federowicz said. It all depends on how the catching and running and everything progresses.”
Hopefully, quickly.
Starting catcher Derek Norris has started behind the plate in 57 of the team’s 70 games, with rookie Austin Hedges starting just nine games since his early-May promotion from Triple-A El Paso. Hedges, the Padres’ top catching prospect, will likely return to the minors to continue his development once Federowicz is able to join the team.
The Padres on Friday purchased the contract of corner infielder Brett Wallace from Triple-A El Paso. To make room on the active roster and the 40-man roster, right-hander Cory Mazzoni was optioned to El Paso and left-hander Eury De La Rosa was designated for assignment.
The left-handed Wallace will add some balance to the Padres’ heavy right-handed lineup while playing first and third base. In 61 games with the Chihuahuas, the 28-year-old Wallace – a former first-rounder who played for interim manager Pat Murphy at Arizona State and also El Paso – hit .305 with eight homers and 37 RBIs. He amassed a .380 on-base percentage and a .460 slugging percentage.
The 25-year-old Mazzoni fashioned a 1.99 ERA in 17 games out of El Paso’s bullpen but struggled mightily in three separate stints with the Padres, allowing 20 earned runs on 23 hits and five walks in 8 2/3 innings (20.77 ERA).
Claimed off waivers from the Dodgers last month, De La Rosa, 25, fashioned a 5.00 ERA in 10 appearances (nine innings) at El Paso.
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