Padres' Austin Nola, hit in face by pitch, could avoid IL stint

San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin said Tuesday that there is "still a chance" catcher Austin Nola, who two days earlier was hit in the face by a pitch while batting, will get in another spring training game and be able to start the regular season with the team.

Melvin said Nola has a slight fracture to his nose, but no black eye or excessive swelling. The catcher could resume some mild baseball activity by Wednesday or Thursday.

"It's remarkable to me," Melvin said. "I'm shocked.

"I mean, I didn't think there was any chance that we'd be looking at him without putting him on the [injured list]. ... He alerted me before he before he came in today that he feels great, and we'll go from there."

Melvin also reported that Juan Soto got an MRI on his strained left oblique that has bothered him since a "B" game Sunday.

"We're thinking it's fairly mild," Melvin said of Soto.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.