Padres Minor League Report: Nick Pivetta Strikes Out 7 In Stellar Second Rehab Start

The San Diego Padres' four full-season affiliates went 1-3 to wrap up their weeklong series. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas dropped a tough 2-1 decision to Oklahoma City, the Double-A San Antonio Missions fell 8-6 to Springfield, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps prevailed 9-3 over Dayton and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm were outgunned 16-13 by Rancho Cucamonga.

Padres Minor-League Transactions

• San Diego Padres activated LF Samad Taylor from the 10-day injured list.
• San Diego Padres sent RHP Nick Pivetta on a rehab assignment to El Paso Chihuahuas.
• San Diego Padres recalled 2B Sung-Mun Song from El Paso Chihuahuas.

Nick Pivetta Fans 7 In Strong Rehab Start; Chihuahuas Lose

Rehabbing Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta struck out seven over 4⅓ innings, looking sharp in his second outing of his second rehab stint, but the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas were walked off by the host Oklahoma City Comets 2-1. The Chihuahuas (74-57, 18-39 second half), who were seeking their first series win since the end of June, went 3-4 in the series, which included a doubleheader.

Pivetta, whose first outing when his initial rehab assignment more than three weeks ago ended abruptly with him walking off the mound, restarted his assignment Tuesday at Low-A Lake Elsinore and experienced the normal first-start bumps. But jumping up to Triple-A for this start, Pivetta was up to the task. He threw 64 pitches, 44 for strikes. The only question about Pivetta's outing was his velocity. His four-seamer started out in the 94 mph range, which is what he was throwing at the beginning of the season before his flexor injury, but it ticked down slightly with each inning. His fastest pitch was 94.4 mph to rehabbing Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith in the first inning, while dropping down to 91.5 in the top of the fifth.

Ethan Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, was on base twice and drove in the Chihuahuas' only run, driving in Bryce Johnson on a broken-bat flair single to right to stake Pivetta to a 1-0 lead. It stayed 1-0 until the seventh, when the Comets got a two-out RBI single. With right-hander Alek Jacob on to start the bottom of the ninth, the Comets got a single, a flyout that advanced the runner to second, an intentional walk and an RBI single to right, with the runner scoring well ahead of the throw home.

The Chihuahuas were held to four hits, with Nick Solak having two of them. Salas also had his third stolen base at Triple-A, giving him 17 for the season, matching the total he had in his first three pro seasons.

Seven strikeouts through four scoreless frames for Nick Pivetta.

The right-hander is looking sharp in his rehab start.@EPChihuahuas | @Padres pic.twitter.com/bdvUEx5Apq

— Ian Napetian (@ian_napetian) August 31, 2026

Alex McCoy's 3 Hits, 18th HR Not Enough For Missions

Alex McCoy went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs, while Justin DeCriscio went 3-for-3, but the Double-A San Antonio Missions were done in by a five-run fifth inning that gave the host Springfield Cardinals an 8-6 victory. The Missions (55-71, 24-33 second half) went 1-5 in the series, while the Cardinals clinched the second-half title in the Texas League's North Division with two weeks left.

Missions right-handed starter Eric Yost, Padres Mission's No. 16 prospect, was pounded for eight runs in 4⅓ innings, including three homers, all in the fifth.

Braedon Karpathios, Padres Mission's No. 9 prospect, went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI, while McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 8 prospect, also walked once and scored once. The Missions were down 3-0 when they tied the game in the top of the fifth on Kai Roberts' sacrifice fly, Karpathios' RBI single and McCoy's run-scoring single. But the Cardinals then hit three homers in a five-batter span during their five-run rally. McCoy hit his homer, a 435-foot two-run shot, in the seventh. It was his third in 14 games with the Missions and 18th of the season.

Lamar King Jr., Robbie Lavey Help TinCaps Win Home Finale

Lamar King Jr. and fourth-round draft pick Robbie Lavey each drove in a season-high four runs as the host Fort Wayne TinCaps exploded for eight runs in a two-inning stretch to bounce the Dayton Dragons 9-4 in their home finale. The TinCaps (52-72, 25-33 second half) won twice in the six-game series.

King, Padres Mission's No. 10 prospect, had three extra-base hits, two doubles and a triple, while Lavey had two hits and scored twice in his third multihit day in 13 pro games. Kasen Wells also had two hits and scored twice for the TinCaps.

TinCaps right-handed starter Winyer Chourio, Padres Mission's No. 17 prospect, was solid over five innings, allowing two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out four. The bullpen was pretty good, with four relievers each going an inning, allowing a solo homer with three hits and no walks.

The TinCaps trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth. Wells had a leadoff double and Rosman Verdugo a one-out walk when Lavey notched his third double of the season to tie the game 2-2. One out later, King doubled Lavey home for a 3-2 TinCaps lead. They broke it open with a five-run fifth. Yimy Tovar, Conner Westenburg and Wells had singles to load the bases. After a pitching change, Ryan Gerety, an undrafted free agent in his fourth inning, drew the first of his two walks to force in a run. After a strikeout, Lavey singled home two more runs to make it 6-2. One out later, King's second double of the game brought in another two runs for an 8-2 cushion. King accounted for the final run when his seventh-inning triple brought in Verdugo, who had singled.

Joe Tiroly Goes Deep For 4th Time In 3 Games; Storm Drop Slugfest

Seventh-round draft choice Joe Tiroly hit his fourth homer in three days and fourth-rounder Alex Conover drove in three, but the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm watched a 7-0 lead disappear with three four-run innings in a 16-13 loss to the host Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

Tiroly, who has six homers in 13 pro games, led off the top of the ninth by crushing a 2-1 pitch off the batter's eye in center field to pull the Storm within 16-12. Nu'u Contrades, the Padres' sixth-round pick, added an RBI single with two outs, but the Storm couldn't keep the rally going. Tiroly, Conover, second-round pick Elliot Lescalles (Padres Mission's No. 11 prospect), Jose Verdugo and Ty Harvey (Padres Mission's No. 5 prospect) each had two hits. Tiroly, Verdugo and Qrey Lott each drove in a pair.

As you might expect, the pitching was messy as the Storm allowed 16 hits and issued eight walks.

Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance

1. Ethan Salas: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
2. Ryan Wideman: On injured list
3. Coleman Borthwick: In Arizona
4. Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP
5. Ty Harvey: 2-for-4, 3B, BB, 2 K
6. Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season
7. Jorge Quintana: DNP
8. Alex McCoy: 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB
9. Braedon Karpathios: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB, K
10. Lamar King Jr.: 3-for-4, 2 2B, 3B, 4 RBI
11. Elliot Lascelles: 2-for-5, BB, K
12. Tucker Musgrove: On injured list
13. Jagger Haynes: DNP
14. Jake Cunningham: DNP
15. Truitt Madonna: 0-for-4, BB, 3 K
16. Eric Yost: 4⅓ IP, 9 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 3 HR
17. Winyer Chourio: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
18. Jesus Castro: DNP
19. Michael Salina: DNP
20. Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K

Interested in learning more about the San Diego Padres' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!