As anticipated, Machado will make his return to the lineup for the first time since last Tuesday, after a bout with back tightness prompted the Padres to hold him out. The fact that the Padres are deploying Machado in the field Tuesday rather than at designated hitter suggests that the team doesn't have much concern about the back issue being something that will require extra management throughout the spring.

There is a sense that a still-talented team must make the most of the upcoming season. The urgency is heightened by what unfolded last fall.