SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The San Diego Padres announced today they have recalled left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc from Triple-A Tucson and optioned right-handed pitcher Anthony Bass to Double-A San Antonio.  LeBlanc is scheduled to start the Padres’ 5:40 p.m. PT game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in his second Big League start this season.  Executive Vice President/General Manager Jed Hoyer made the announcement.

LeBlanc, 26, is making his third stint with the Padres in 2011.  The southpaw was previously recalled from Triple-A Tucson on April 24 to make the Padres start against the Philadelphia Phillies at PETCO Park that day.  He worked a career-high 8.0 innings pitched, allowing three runs on nine hits and four walks, before being optioned back to Tucson the next day.  In 11 starts for Tucson this season, he has gone 5-1 with a 5.24 ERA (40 ER/68.2 IP), a .287 (80-for-279) opponents batting average and 61 strikeouts against 19 walks, leading the team with five wins.  Over his last two starts for Tucson, he has gone 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA (2 ER/13.0 IP).   Originally signed as a second-round selection by the Padres in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, LeBlanc has gone 12-17 with a 4.47 ERA (110 ER/221.2 IP) in 41 career games, 39 starts, over parts of four Major League seasons, all with the Padres (2008-11).

Bass, 23, was selected from Double-A San Antonio yesterday and made his Major League debut against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.  The right-hander picked up his first career victory after working 5.0 innings and allowing one run on five hits and four walks.   In 12 minor league starts this season between Triple-A Tucson and Double-A San Antonio, he has gone 7-3 with a 3.41 ERA (26 ER/68.2 IP), a .244 (62-for-254) opponents batting average and 63 strikeouts against 17 walks.  Of those 12 starts, 11 have been for San Antonio.  Bass was originally signed by the Padres as a fifth-round selection in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Wayne State University (MI) and was the third player from that draft to reach the Major Leagues for the Padres, with infielder Logan Forsythe and outfielder Blake Tekotte having also made their Big League debuts this year. Across four minor league seasons in the Padres (2008-11) organization, he has gone 29-16 with a 2.96 ERA (120 ER/364.2 IP) and 305 strikeouts against 93 walks in 93 games, 66 starts.