WASHINGTON — Padres outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. is not opposed to being traded to a contender, a scenario that would have seemed unthinkable as recently as a year ago. Saturday, the Comeback Player of the Year candidate was still at Nationals Park, still in a San Diego uniform. Yet the possibility existed that it would be his last game with the Padres.
"With the way my year’s been, coming from Atlanta, for me to be able to work my way back to where teams are interested in me, it’s pretty cool," Upton said before starting in left field and batting fifth for the Padres.