CSN Bay Area

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Javier Lopez probably won’t see a lot of the San Diego Padres this season, but on Tuesday it didn’t matter that Lopez was facing a team that leans heavily to the right. The veteran lefty simply needed to get his work in, and in that respect, his outing was a success. 

Lopez has been slowed by biceps tendinitis this spring but he reported no issues after making his debut at Peoria Stadium. He got two groundouts before walking Yangervis Solarte and giving up a seeing-eye single to Matt Kemp. 

“It felt pretty good,” Lopez said. “Obviously it’s nice just to get out there. Those are the first lefties I’ve seen all spring — even in live BP it was nothing but righties. The long spring gives you the luxury to take a few games and make sure (the arm) is right. We’ll see how it responds tomorrow, but right now it’s good.”

Lopez, 37, is entering his 13th big league season and sixth with the Giants. He said he didn’t change much after the long 2014 season, taking just a couple of additional weeks off to rest his arm. The rest of his preparation remained the same as in the past. 

“I’m pretty routine-oriented,” Lopez said. 

During the regular season, that routine includes a steady diet of left-handed hitters, and he’s unlikely to see many when the Giants travel to Petco Park. The Padres loaded up on right-handed power in the offseason and the results were impressive on Tuesday. Third baseman Will Middlebrooks (acquired from the Red Sox) homered off Yusmeiro Petit in the second. Kemp (acquired from the Dodgers) hit a three-run shot in the third, chasing Petit. Former Braves star Justin Upton welcomed Brett Bochy to the game with a solo shot. 

“Obviously they made some big moves to bring power to the lineup and those guys showed it today,” Lopez said. “They proved it today: One swing of the bat can change a game.”

Other news and notes from Peoria, where on the way out you have to decide between Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out … 

HEALTH UPDATES: Tim Hudson felt fine after his second live BP session, and he’ll start Wednesday at home and throw one inning. Sergio Romo (sore shoulder) faced Giants hitters at Scottsdale Stadium and Bruce Bochy said it’ll be up to Romo now; if he wants one more live BP, he’ll get it … if not, he’s set for the Cactus League.

FAMILIAR FACE: Over at the White Sox game, Klay Thompson stopped by to see his younger brother Trayce, an outfielder in Chicago’s system. Trayce hit .237 with 16 homers at Double-A last season. 

PROSPECT WATCH: Kyle Crick stranded two of his own runners in the seventh and then had a quick eighth. Crick continues to impress in his second big league camp, and he hasn’t given up a run yet. 

“You have to love the way he’s throwing strikes and pitching with a lot of confidence out there,” Bochy said. “He’s using his fastball well and locating. What’s good for Cricky right now is he’s going out there and throwing strikes and realizing he can pitch up here.”

NOTEWORTHY: We’ll notice just about everything Roberto Kelly does this year, since it’s his first taking over for Tim Flannery. He held up the stop sign on Casey McGehee when Travis Ishikawa bounced one into center with two outs in the fifth, and the pro-Giants crowd groaned. It looked like McGehee would have scored. Hector Sanchez followed with a grounder to short. Justin Maxwell, fighting for the open outfield spot, had a two-run single and stole second … McGehee had two hits, raising his average to .417. The other new starter, Nori Aoki, is hitting down to .083 for the spring after going 0 for 3 … Jean Machi had been cruising in his bid to win the final bullpen spot, but he gave up three earned in one inning of work.