Padres and Brewers go for series win Wednesday

SAN DIEGO -- Perhaps the most interesting matchup Wednesday in the rubber match of the three-game series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Padres at Petco Park is not the one between the starting pitchers.

Both teams are starting rookie shortstops called up during the past week.

Orlando Arcia made his major league debut Tuesday night for the Brewers, and Jose Rondon made his third start for the Padres.

Arcia, 22, was considered the top prospect in the Milwaukee farm system as well as the 13th overall prospect in the minor leagues when he was promoted to the Brewers early Tuesday morning from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

"It's always a thrill to call anyone up, but I knew this was a big deal when I saw a camera outside the clubhouse today waiting for Orlando," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Arcia's arrival.

"I know a lot of people are really excited about it. He is an important player, and now we get to watch him grow every day ... struggle and grow from it, which is fun. It's fun to get a guy like that started. Orlando has had expectation for a long time. He's a performer. He knows how to handle it."

Rondon is not ranked as highly among the Padres' prospects as Arcia is with the Brewers. However, the 22-year-old Venezuelan was having a solid season at Double-A San Antonio after struggling with injuries in 2015 during his first full season in the San Diego system.

He came to the Padres in 2014 as part of the package the Los Angeles Angels used to lure closer Huston Street to Anaheim.

On Tuesday, Padres manager Andy Green told veteran shortstop Alexei Ramirez that he was no longer the regular shortstop as long as Rondon is with the team.

Rondon, who had spent three days with the Padres last weekend while third baseman Yangervis Solarte was away from the team on family leave, was recalled Tuesday when infielder/outfielder Alexi Amarista was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a left hamstring strain he sustained Monday night.

The more notable news was the fact that Rondon is replacing Ramirez, who started 98 of the Padres' first 103 games at short.

"As things changed near the trade deadline, it became obvious that we're moving in a younger direction," Green said. "It doesn't mean that every young prospect who could be here right now is going to be here right at the present moment. But when the young guys are here, we're going to have them on the baseball field pretty consistently.

"Alexei will get on the field on a much more sporadic basis going forward. When Jose Rondon is here, more times than not, he is going to be out there unless we fell he needs a break physically or mentally.

"I don't think Alexei liked it hearing that. I wouldn't have expected anything else. He's spent his entire life on the baseball field. It's a tough thing to hear and a tough thing to adjust to. I respect that."

As for the pitching matchup Wednesday afternoon, San Diego right-hander Edwin Jackson faces Milwaukee right-hander Junior Guerra.

Jackson is 1-1 with a 5.19 ERA in three starts for the Padres. He is 1-2 with a 5.46 ERA in 11 games overall this year, counting his relief work with the Miami Marlins earlier in the season. Jackson took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his Padres debut at Petco Park on July 17 against the San Francisco Giants.

In his career against the Brewers, he is 5-7 with a 3.89 ERA in 17 games (14 starts).

Guerra is 7-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts. More important, he has positioned the Brewers to go 11-5 in his 16 starts. Opponents are hitting .201 against Guerra. Earlier this season, in his only career start against the Padres, he blanked San Diego on two hits over six innings in Milwaukee.