Hand gave up a lone run on one hit while striking out a pair in his spring training debut Monday against the Diamondbacks.

EDGE Analysis

Despite the minor blemish, Hand has a stranglehold on the Padres' closer role to open the season after posting a 2.16 ERA with 21 saves and a stellar 5.2 K/BB ratio last year. He handled the move from setup man to closer swimmingly after the team dealt Brandon Maurer away at the deadline, so there should be little doubt regarding whether or not Hand will be able to succeed in the role for a full season. The only apparent risk with the dominant southpaw is a scenario where the Padres struggle in the first half of the campaign and move Hand to a contender to be their left-handed setup man. That hypothetical situation is a long ways away from Opening Day, but it should still be considered when evaluating him during drafts this year. Barring a trade that removes him from a closing role, there is nothing in Hand's peripherals that suggests that he wouldn't perform like a top-10 closer this season.