"I’m beyond excited" - Padres fans revel in joy as Fernando Tatis Jr. starrer line-up gears to face Dodgers in spring training opener

Opening Day is now just a month away, and the San Deigo Padres have officially announced their lineup against the Los Angeles Dodgers for the Cactus League opener.

On X (previously Twitter), Padres fans are showing their excitement and hoping for a great season for their team.

“I’ve waited a long time for this. I’m beyond excited !” a fan commented.

Jake Cronenworth will cover first base, Xander Bogaerts will play at second, Eguy Rosario will play at third and Ha-Seong Kim will be the shortstop. Cal Mitchell will be the team’s designated hitter and Luis Campusano will be the catcher.

On the other hand, Fernando Tatis Jr. will cover the right outfield, Jose Azocar will cover the center field and Jackson Merrill will play in the left outfield. The Padres' 31-year-old right-hand pitcher, Joe Musgrove, will start the game.

San Deigo Padres’ Opening Day preparation

The Padres have not yet included any core players in the starting lineup. Both Manny Machado and Kyle Higashioka have not been named in the lineup for the upcoming game.

While Michael King is waiting for his debut with the Padres, the team has decided to start with a young lineup. Both Rosario and Mitchell are 25 years old. While Merrill, 20, will play in the left field during his major league debut game.

Dodgers general manager Dave Roberts previously had a tentative plan to give Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow their debut, according to Bill Plunkett. However, the plan has changed and Gavin Stone is now slated to start the 2024 MLB season.

“Dave Roberts said Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are 'safe bet' to start for #Dodgers in 2 games v SD in Korea. As long as their springs continue to go well.” - via Bill Plunkett on X

It will be interesting to see how Tatis Jr. and co will fare against the star-studded lineup of the Dodgers, especially with Teoscar Hernandez making his debut in the first game.