Steve Drumwright

There are precious few days left before the San Diego Padres depart sunny Arizona and return home to sunny SoCal to begin the 2026 season. But as the clock ticks down toward Opening Day on March 26 vs. Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers, there are still some key items to figure out regarding who will be on the Opening Day roster. Some are more simple, like which players start the season on the injured list, and others will come to choosing the right player for the right role. Let's take a look at the top three questions remaining: 1. Who fills out the Padres' starting rotation? We know that right-handers Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Randy Vasquez are in the rotation barring anything unforeseen in their final Cactus League outings. That leaves two spots. Or is it one? An interesting wrinkle in this decision is that the Padres have two days off in the first eight days of the regular season. That means the Friars don't need a fifth starter until the second Sunday of the season, April 5 on the road against the Boston Red Sox. There are different ways for the Friars to approach this; they could ho with a traditional five-man rotation and give the starters a little extra rest to begin the season, which is not a bad idea, or go with four starters and a nine-man bullpen. There are two primary candidates for this: right-handers Walker Buehler and German Marquez. Buehler is not currently on the 40-man roster after signing a minor-league deal with an opt-out before Opening Day if not on the MLB roster. Buehler does get a $1.5 million contract if added to the Padres' roster. Marquez signed a major-league deal for one year and $1.75 million. Buehler has been the better of the two thus far in spring, with a 3.09 ERA in three Cactus League games, walking four and striking out 13 in 11⅔ innings. Marquez hasn't been as sharp, with a 9.26 ERA in four appearances, with five walks and 15 strikeouts, nine coming in his five-inning start Tuesday. With Pivetta having dealt with some arm fatigue and skipping a spring start (he did return last weekend), this feels like a five-man rotation situation, with Buehler and Marquez taking those Nos. 4 and 5 slots. 2. What does the Friars' bullpen look like? First-year manager Craig Stammen, himself a former MLB reliever, has enjoyed using the term "bridge" when referring to some Friars bullpen candidates this spring. That could be key when trying to figure out who will be among the eight relievers selected for Opening Day. The Friars boasted one of the best bullpens in all of MLB last season and that doesn't figure to change much despite losing closer Robert Suarez to Atlanta via free agency. That, in large part, is due to having added arguably the top reliever in baseball at the trade deadline in right-hander Mason Miller. Adrian Morejon and Wandy Peralta are the locked-in left-handers, while right-handers Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan and Bradgley Rodriguez are the top right-handers. The other two spots depend on the health of left-hander Yuki Matsui, who has been throwing after sustaining an oblique injury in camp. He probably needs two solid Cactus League appearances to make the Opening Day roster. Left-hander JP Sears, who had been a candidate for the rotation, could instead be a bullpen option or sent to Triple-A El Paso for rotation depth. The latter seems the better choice for the team. With left-hander Kyle Hart and right-hander Logan Gillaspie showing good signs in camp and fulfilling the bridge role they likely take the last two bullpen spots thanks to their ability to cover multiple innings. Left-hander Jackson Wolf is another bridge option, but was reassigned to minor-league camp earlier this week. 3. Where does Craig Stammen's bench stand? The Padres' starting lineup pretty much returned intact, with the only true subtraction being Luis Arraez. Catcher: Freddy Fermin. First base: Nick Castellanos. Second base: Jake Cronenworth. Third base: Manny Machado. Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts. Left field: Ramon Laureano. Center field: Jackson Merrill. Right field: Fernando Tatis Jr. Designated hitter: Gavin Sheets. With four bench spots, one goes to Luis Campusano as the backup catcher. Infielder Sung Mun Song's second oblique injury likely means he will begin the season on the injured list, although he has been swinging in recent days. Outfielder-infielder Miguel Andujar has a spot secured. Needing a backup outfielder who can play center gives Bryce Johnson a spot, at least to begin the season. That leaves just one remaining. Ty France, in camp on a minor-league contract, has been good this spring, with the 2025 AL Gold Glove first baseman also playing second, third and left field. He is back after beginning his MLB career in 2019 with the Friars and could be the ultimate beneficiary of Song's lingering oblique troubles. Bonus: Who will enter MLB Opening Day on the injured list? It is never fun to be on the injured list, especially for Opening Day. Right-handed reliever Bryan Hoeing is already on the 15-day IL and is scheduled to have season-ending surgery on his right flexor tendon. He will eventually be transferred to the 60-day IL, opening up a 40-man roster spot (possibly for France or Buehler). Right-hander Joe Musgrove will also begin the season on the 15-day IL, as he still is on the comeback path from Tommy John surgery. Another starter, right-hander Griffin Canning, is still working his way back from a ruptured left Achilles. Both could return in mid- to late April if things go well. Right-handed starter Matt Waldron is in more of a sticky situation; he had hemorrhoid surgery in camp and has been working his way back on the mound and made his Cactus League debut with two innings Tuesday. With no minor-league options remaining, going on the 15-day IL with a possible rehab assignment will give the Padres an outlet to keep him around until they need him. Right-hander Jason Adam, a key member of the bullpen, has been on track to be ready for Opening Day following a ruptured left quad on Sept. 1 that required surgery. The Padres might take a cautious rout with his return with an IL placement. Matsui's oblique injury could be an excuse to put him on the 15-day IL and give the injury more time to heal. Right-handed reliever Ty Adcock made his Cactus League debut Monday following an oblique injury and was optioned to Triple-A on Tuesday. The same story applies to Song. The former Korea Baseball Organization star is likely to go on the 10-day IL considering he has had the same injury twice since the start of the calendar year. Infielder Will Wagner is yet another player with an oblique injury and he is likely to begin the season on the 10-day IL before heading to Triple-A.

You know it is getting closer to Opening Day when guys thought to be in the mix for a spot on the 26-man roster are sent to minor-league camp. Right-handed reliever Ty Adcock, who just returned from an oblique injury, was optioned to Triple-A El Paso by the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Adcock had been battling an oblique in camp before making his Cactus League debut Monday. Also, infielder-outfielder Samad Taylor and left-hander Jackson Wolf were reassigned to Triple-A. Taylor entered camp as a strong candidate to earn a bench spot. The speedy 27-year-old, who has 38 games of MLB experience, posted a .233/.265/.300 slash line in 30 at-bats over 17 games, with five RBIs and three stolen bases. His path became more difficult as the Padres brought in Nick Castellanos and Ty France early in camp. Wolf was a long shot to make the Friars' bullpen, but did get some attention with his spring showing, putting up a 2.38 ERA in 11⅓ innings, walking six and striking out eight.

Long gone are the days of Benito Santiago, who excelled at the plate as well as behind it. Such a catcher, if they're even in the system, is still a ways off. Thus, the San Diego Padres have tried to piece together a catching tandem that will help the team make a push for NL West title or a postseason berth. Freddy Fermin begins his first full season with the Friars and will be the No. 1 catcher for the first time in his brief MLB career. Will he be able to handle the rigors? Can Luis Campusano be good enough defensively to get his bat into the lineup? Padres Catchers At A Glance Starter: Freddy Fermin Backup: Luis Campusano Depth: Blake Hunt, Rodolfo Duran, Anthony Vilar Prospects: Ethan Salas, Ty Harvey, Lamar King Jr., Truit Madonna Padres fWAR ranking last year: 28th out of 30. Padres fWAR projection this year: 19th out of 30. The Good Whether it was a desperation move or the Padres actually thought so highly of him, Fermin was acquired at the trade deadline for two starting pitchers, Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. At the time, the Friars were in need of offense from the position without losing much defensively; prior to the trade, the Padres had the worst fWAR at the position of any team in MLB as they tried to stay afloat with Martin Maldonado and Elias Diaz. While he won't be confused for his Royals mentor, 2015 World Series MVP and five-time Silver Slugger Salvador Perez, as an offensive weapon, Fermin is certainly not the black hole that Maldonado and Diaz were. Fermin had a career .268/.314/.383 slash line in K.C. with a high of nine homers in 235 plate appearances in 2023. Those numbers slipped to .244/.278/.339 in 42 games as the Friars' regular catcher following the deal, though that drop in performance can at least be partially attributed to Fermin focusing on getting to know a whole new set of pitchers. But now in 2026, Fermin is firmly the No. 1 catcher, with Campusano as the backup. Campusano is the more accomplished hitter, but not the defender that Fermin is. Fermin has a terrific pop time of 1.90 seconds, which is in the 88th percentile, and led to a caught-stealing above average that was in the 76th percentile. His blocks also ranked in the 72nd percentile. His framing is certainly his weakest skill behind the plate, but with the introduction of the ABS system this year, the team should be able to mitigate some of that. The 27-year-old Campusano spent all but 10 games of 2025 at Triple-A El Paso, where he tore it up. In 105 games and 472 plate appearances, he had a slash line of .336/.441/.595 with 25 homers and 95 RBIs, yet did not get a call to the majors when the Padres needed offense from the catching position. In the majors, Campusano has a career slash line of .240/.294/.372 over 178 games with inconsistent playing time. The Bad Picking up on that last note, why wasn't Campusano brought up? Campusano's pop time from 2024 at the MLB level was 1.97 seconds, which was in the 38th percentile, while his framing, caught-sealing above average and blocks above average were all in the bottom nine percentiles. In other words, he's bad behind the plate. How much did that catching improve at Triple-A last year or over the winter, as he played 13 games in the Dominican Winter League? The Padres appear convinced it will be good enough to at least spell Fermin once or twice a week. Campusano is out of minor-league options, so it would require putting him through waivers to send him back to the minors, perhaps a reason why A.J. Preller, the Friars' president of baseball operations, decided to stick with Campusano this spring. After all, he was a fairly highly touted prospect just a few years ago. As for the 30-year-old Fermin, while his offense is solid enough, he doesn't bring much in the way of productivity besides a rather routine batting average. His average exit velocity last year of 89.1 mph ranked in the 39th percentile of all MLB hitters. And other than a strikeout percentage of 18.7% that ranked in the 66th percentile, everything other notable metric was worse than his exit velocity numbers. The Bottom Line The Royals were willing to part with Fermin for two reasons. First, they got two young starting pitchers in return. Second, Fermin was going to start getting expensive, as he was arbitration-eligible for the first time this past offseason. How this experiment works out with Fermin, a defense-first catcher who provides a little bit of offense, and Campusano, an offense-first catcher who struggles defensively, will be interesting to watch. As long as Fermin can hit in the .250 range in his first season as an everyday catcher, you would think the Friars would be happy with that and the defense he brings. How much rope Campusano is given is another question. There were thoughts early in spring training of carrying three catchers, with Hunt being the backup and Campusano getting time at designated hitter and perhaps first base in addition to pinch-hitting. But with other moves made to create a logjam at first base and DH, that is no longer an option. That doesn't mean there aren't better days coming for the Padres at catcher. Salas, arguably the top prospect in the organization, should be starting the season at Double-A, where he played just 10 games last year due to a stress reaction in his back. Salas is elite defensively and has 20-homer potential. A healthy 2026 could put him in the mix for the starting job as early as next spring.

The first significant blow to the San Diego Padres' Opening Day rotation became somewhat official as first-year manager Craig Stammen said Monday that right-hander Joe Musgrove will begin the season on the injured list. Musgrove, the Padres' best pitcher when healthy and author of the first no-hitter in franchise history, has not pitched since having Tommy John surgery after the Friars were eliminated from the postseason in 2024. The 33-year-old had been building toward a spot in the rotation to begin the season, but made just one appearance, a start against Great Britain in a World Baseball Classic exhibition on March 4. He needed 60 pitches to get through two innings in his first game action since Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series vs. Atlanta in 2024. Musgrove's arm didn't bounce back, and he has not pitched since. "He’s most likely going to start on the IL this year," Stammen said. "We're getting to the point where he's taken enough time off that it would be hard to ramp him up to get him to be a viable starter that can throw five innings, 90 pitches. This was part of the plan. We knew he was going to have to take some time off. We knew we were going to have to get him ready for the entire season, and not just Opening Day." That leaves the Padres' rotation with three known starters: right-handers Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Randy Vasquez. Pivetta returned to action Saturday after skipping a start due to arm fatigue. Pivetta pitched three innings, throwing 56 pitches, against the Cleveland Guardians. He would have one more Cactus League start, potentially Thursday or Friday, before the season begins. He was the top candidate for the Opening Day start entering camp. The Padres do have options to fill the void with Musgrove starting on the IL. Those begin with right-handers German Marquez and Walker Buehler. Buehler is a non-roster player, meaning he would have to be added to the 40-man roster before Opening Day. The Padres have one confirmed spot open and another with Yu Darvish not pitching this season. Stammen said he was not ready to name the slots for his starting pitchers yet. One option for the Friars, with two days off in the first eight days of the season, is to open with four starters and nine relievers. "We'll probably pick spots probably the day before Opening Day," Stammen said. "We'll wait all the way until we have to make a decision. I think it's probably smart to wait as long as you can to make decisions because you never know what can happen in between that time period. We're going to be smart, we're going to be patient, and we're going to try to make the best decision with all the information." The setback is likely to sideline Musgrove for most, if not all, of April. Another right-handed starter, Griffin Canning, is expected back in April as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury last season, when he was with the New York Mets.

Can you believe we are entering the final week of spring training? In 10 days, the San Diego Padres will host two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park for Opening Day. Following the Dominican Republic's 2-1 loss to the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic semifinals, the Friars will get their two superstar position players, third baseman Manny Machado and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., back earlier than the duo had wanted. Perhaps that is good news for the Padres, who can get a few days to do the final experimentation in setting their lineup. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Friars improved to 11-11-1 in the Cactus League, beating the A's 13-9, using split squads to beat the Cleveland Guardians 8-2 and lose to the Texas Rangers 22-2, then tying the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-4. Who's Hot? 🔥 Jase Bowen The 25-year-old outfielder has been one of the feel-good stories in camp. He went 3-for-8 in back-to-back games with three extra-base hits and three RBIs. Bowen, who left the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor-league free agent and signed with the Friars, had a pair of doubles vs. the A's and a two-run homer for the only runs against the Rangers. Manager Craig Stammen recently pointed out the immense athleticism that Bowen has as a former football player (he committed to play wide receiver at Michigan State), but said his skills are still shifting to a baseball mentality. Xander Bogaerts The starting shortstop returned from the World Baseball Classic and picked up where he left off. After going 5-for-15 with the Netherlands, Bogaerts went 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI in his first game since the WBC. That is good news considering Bogaerts was 2-for-12 in Cactus League play before heading to the tournament. He should be in fine shape to start the season. David Morgan The surprise of last year's bullpen has been pretty sharp this spring, his first with an MLB job in his back pocket. Morgan pitched a scoreless inning vs. the Diamondbacks, keeping his slate clean in the Cactus League. In six innings, Morgan has allowed four hits and two walks, while striking out five. The undrafted free agent who signed with the Padres in 2022 out of college will have a big role in the bullpen again this season after a strong rookie campaign. Who's Cold? 🧊 Marco Gonzales I promise I'm trying not to pick on the left-hander, but being included here is a unavoidable following the stat line he put up against the Rangers. Gonzales could only get two outs in the first inning and left down 1-0 with the bases load. Those runners came in to score for a four-run inning. Gonzales came back out for the second and gave up a homer to the first batter he faced, Brandon Nimmo, before retiring the next three hitters. In the third inning, Gonzales fell victim to needing to get in a certain number of pitches and had to wear another six runs. He gave up a total of eight hits and walked six, with only one strikeout. Logan Gillaspie A candidate to make the bullpen as a long reliever, or as Stammen is calling him and Kyle Hart, a "bridge" arm, Gillaspie followed Gonzales and had a similar fate, lasting just 2⅔ innings and coughing up nine runs on 11 hits. He walked three and struck out one. With questions at the back end of the rotation and the favorable early-season schedule, the Friars could go with four starters and nine relievers, giving Gillaspie and/or Hart a shot at the Opening Day roster. Luis Campusano The backup catcher got a couple of days off to clear his head as he endures a subpar spring, with Rodolfo Duran getting back-to-back starts. But Campusano returned to the lineup Sunday and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. The offense-first catcher saw his splash line drop to .148/.233/.185. Campusano is out of minor-league options, so he will either make the Opening Day roster or be designated for assignment, with either a free agent being signed or Duran possibly making the roster and his MLB debut instead.

We are turning the corner and getting ready to hit the stretch drive of spring training, whatever that is. The San Diego Padres are starting to come together. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Friars are now 9-10 in Cactus League play after losing to the Texas Rangers 4-1 Monday, beating the Los Angeles Angels 10-2 Tuesday, and losing to the Kansas City Royals 10-1 in the first night game this spring. Who's Hot? 🔥 Walker Buehler On the surface, allowing two runs in 3⅔ wouldn't qualify as a good start. But it was more about the quality of the outing for the right-hander that earns him this nod. Buehler seemed to find his groove in this 68-pitch outing. While his second Tommy John surgery has dampened his four-seamer velocity, he is learning to pitch with where his stuff is now and the fact that he is finally pain-free. With right-hander Nick Pivetta battling arm fatigue, a typical spring training ramp-up ailment, and Joe Musgrove's status a little bit in doubt as he returns from his own Tommy John surgery, Buehler could find himself in the Opening Day rotation. Otherwise, he has an opt-out at the end of spring training if not on the MLB roster. Ty France The once-former-now-Padre-again infielder continues to make a strong push for a bench spot this spring. France played second and third, going 2-for-5 with a double. He did have a throwing error at third base, a position he has played multiple times this spring, but not in a regular-season game since six games in 2022. He has only played second three times in the last four seasons, but if he is to be part of the Opening Day bench, playing multiple positions will certainly help for last year's AL Gold Glove first baseman. Jeremiah Estrada The more you don't hear about guys like this right-hander, the more you know they are doing their job effectively. Estrada, a key part of the Friars' late-inning bullpen, pitched a scoreless eighth inning against the Rangers, walking one and striking out one while not allowing a hit. That kept his sheet clean this spring, having not allowed a run in five innings and yielding but one hit. He has walked six, but countered that with seven strikeouts. Who's Not? 🧊 German Marquez Expected to go four innings in his start vs. the Royals, the right-hander was yanked in the first inning due to the number of pitches, came back for the second, and couldn't get through that inning. The leading candidate for one or maybe two rotation spots, depending on injury situations, Marquez was credited with 1⅔ innings, allowing six runs on four hits and four walks while striking out just one. Only 28 of his 56 pitches were strikes. Miguel Andjuar The infielder-outfielder figures to be a key part of the lineup against left-handers. But after a strong start to Cactus League play, Andjuar has seen his slash line drop to .267/.40/.500 after going hitless in his last nine at-bats. Andjuar's status is pretty safe for Opening Day due to his track record when healthy, so this mini-swoon is nothing to be concerned with. JP Sears It was the type of outing that looked worse than it actually was. But results are results. The left-hander allowed three runs on five hits, but did go four innings, including two scoreless after being hit on the bottom of a foot by a comebacker. Sears struck out six and didn't walk anyone. Most of the contact off him wasn't hit hard, and he wasn't helped by his defense. But Sears also had allowed at least one run in all four Cactus League outings, although his ERA improved to 8.44.

Representatives for four groups still in the running to purchase the San Diego Padres visited the team's spring training complex in Peoria, Ariz., this week. According to a report by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune on Friday, the new target for completing a sale by the Seidler family is by the end of April. Acee reported the sale price is now expected to be at least $2.5 billion with the potential to go over $3 billion. The current record for the purchase of an MLB team is $2.42 billion by Steve Cohen for the New York Mets in 2020. Five groups had submitted initial bids by late February. None of the four finalists has been publicly named. Previously, the reported contenders included Jose E. Feliciano, whose ClearLake Capital is based in Santa Monica and holds ownership stake in the soccer team Chelsea of the English Premier League; San DIego-born Dan Friedkin, CEO of The Friedkin Group that owns auto dealerships and hotels, while he also has ownership shares of soccer teams Everton in the EPL and Roma in Serie A; and Joe Lacob, owner of the NBA's Golden State Warriors and WNBA's Golden State Valkyries. Another entity, Vuori founder Joe Kudla and former San Diego Chargers quarterback Drew Brees, were thought to be another group trying to buy the Padres, but that was later clarified to state that those two would be helping another group in their bid for the Friars. Kudla is a graduate of the University of San Diego, and Vuori is headquartered in Carlsbad. Brees has been seen over the years as a fan at Petco Park. The Seidler family announced in mid-November that it would put the Padres up for sale. This came after Peter Seider died in November 2024. Following the resolution of legal issues between Seidler's brothers and his widow, the bid process officially began. According to the Union-Tribune, the family owns less than 50% of the team, including a 24% stake that is held by Peter Seidler's trust. Peter Seidler's widow, Sheel Seidler, and their three children are the beneficiaries of the trust. The remaining portion of ownership is between 10 and 12 other entities that are minority owners. Peter Seidler and Ron Fowler led a group that bought the Padres in 2012 for $800 million.

Padres Mission's countdown of the top 20 San Diego Padres prospects, as voted on by our staff writers, continues with deeper profiles on the top 10 entering the 2026 season. Check out prior entries in the ranking here: No. 7: Humberto Cruz No. 8: Ty Harvey No. 9: Ryan Wideman No. 10: Kale Fountain Nos. 11-15 Nos. 16-20 No. 6: Jagger Haynes (San Antonio Missions) Coming out of a small North Carolina high school in the abbreviated 2020 draft, the Padres selected left-handed starter Jagger Haynes with their final pick, taking him in the fifth round. Due to trades, Haynes is the lone member of that class still with the Friars. Haynes comes from the same remote area of North Carolina where the Padres found MacKenzie Gore. Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff W L W-L% ERA RA9 G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W 2023 20 -1.9 Lake Elsinore CALL A SDP 0 3 .000 3.91 4.62 11 11 0 0 0 0 25.1 22 13 11 2 12 0 29 1 2 1 109 1.342 7.8 0.7 4.3 10.3 2.42 2024 21 -2.1 Fort Wayne MIDW A+ SDP 2 6 .250 4.64 4.80 23 22 1 0 0 0 110.2 90 59 57 11 66 0 114 6 0 7 475 1.410 7.3 0.9 5.4 9.3 1.73 2025 22 -2.5 San Antonio TL AA SDP 3 4 .429 4.11 4.81 26 25 0 0 0 0 103.0 83 55 47 12 62 0 101 7 2 13 443 1.408 7.3 1.0 5.4 8.8 1.63 All Levels (3 Seasons) 5 13 .278 4.33 4.78 60 58 1 0 0 0 239.0 195 127 115 25 140 0 244 14 4 21 1027 1.402 7.3 0.9 5.3 9.2 1.74 Now 23, Haynes' pro career got off to a slow start after he had Tommy John surgery, so his debut didn't come until the start of the 2023 season at Low-A Lake Elsinore. That season was slowed by blister and shoulder issues, but he did put up a 3.91 ERA in 11 starts, although he only logged 25 1/3 innings. But he came back strong in 2024. At High-A Fort Wayne, Haynes was healthy enough to appear in 23 games, all but one a start. While the numbers left a little to be desired (4.64 ERA, 1.41 WHIP), the fact he was able to go 110⅔ innings was definitely a positive. He walked 5.4 per nine innings and struck out 9.3. Haynes followed that up with a better 2025 at Double-A San Antonio. In 26 appearances (25 starts), Haynes had a 4.11 ERA and 1.408 WHIP, walking 5.4 per nine innings and striking out 8.8 in 103 innings. The velocity was back for Haynes in 2025, but he still only sat at 91-94 with his four-seam fastball after the pitch was listed at 94 mph coming out of high school. He also throws a sinker, a changeup, and a slider, the latter appearing to be a very effective pitch. The sinker is a pitch that he has developed since turning pro. Walks are definitely an issue, something that he will need to improve upon to make his way to the majors. His career hits per nine (7.3) is solid, but with his softer stuff, limiting hard contact would also increase his chances. Haynes should be moved up to Triple-A El Paso this season, even though he might face a better quality of competition by returning to San Antonio. That is just the natural progression, especially in the aggressive-promotion Padres system, that makes sense. Not that this would necessarily be an aggressive promotion — Haynes is facing a big season relative to service time. He was left unprotected this offseason for the Rule 5 Draft. Even a decent year would force the Friars' hand to put him on the 40-man roster next offseason, leading to the hope that he'll potentially make his MLB debut in 2027. If his numbers don't show progress as a starter, the Padres may experiment with how the stuff plays in a relief role.

A really deep San Diego Padres bullpen just got a wee bit thinner. Right-hander Bryan Hoeing, a candidate to make the Opening Day roster, will miss the entire 2026 season after deciding to have surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his right arm, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Thursday. This comes after the 29-year-old was limited to just seven MLB appearances and 18 in the minors in 2025 due to elbow and shoulder issues. Hoeing was shut down about two weeks ago after experiencing elbow discomfort. He will be put on the injured list before Opening Day and moved to the 60-day IL when the Padres need space on the 40-man roster, which currently sits at 39. Right-handed starter Yu Darvish, who is negotiating a buyout of his contract after having an internal brace procedure on his right UCL, will also need to be put on the 60-day IL. Typical recovery for flexor tendon surgery is nine months, meaning Hoeing should be good to go next spring training. Acquired from the Miami Marlins at the 2024 trade deadline, Hoeing pitched in 18 games for the Friars that season, with a 3.38 FIP (1.52 ERA), with 5.8% walk rate and 20.9% strikeout rate in 20⅔ innings. Hoeing will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason.

When spring training started, the San Diego Padres could pencil in three names to their 2026 starting rotation for Opening Day: Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove. The other two spots? A few question marks. At that time, barring anything unforeseen, Musgrove was the only one with slight concerns about his status, as the right-hander was coming off Tommy John surgery, which took place after making his lone postseason start in October 2024. The timeframe of him returning from the procedure to the Friars' active roster made it very possible that March 26 vs. the Detroit Tigers was in play. But every road has a slight curve(ball). Now, as we sit two weeks from Opening Day at Petco Park, the normal things that happen in spring training are happening to the Padres' starting rotation. And it begins with Java Joe's status. Following his start last week in a World Baseball Classic exhibition against Great Britain, his first appearance in a game this spring, Musgrove hasn't recovered as expected, with the Friars giving him extra time before making his second start. Teams usually ease pitchers back into action following Tommy John surgery, but Musgrove threw 60 pitches vs. Great Britain. Several days later, Musgrove said of his right arm: "It feels like I had surgery." It is not unusual for any pitcher, much less one coming back from a significant surgery, to experience arm issues in spring training. Right-hander Nick Pivetta, the presumed Opening Day starter, had his start Sunday skipped due to arm fatigue, but threw a "touch and go" bullpen Tuesday. He has another bullpen session scheduled for Thursday. Presuming that goes well, Pivetta will return to the rotation over the weekend. So, where does all of this leave the Padres' starting rotation? King is still a lock as he appears fully healthy after being limited to 15 starts in 2025 due to a rare nerve issue in his right shoulder and then knee inflammation. Fellow right-hander Randy Vasquez has been the best starter this spring, putting a stranglehold on his place in the rotation. Provided Pivetta comes out of Thursday's bullpen fine and keeps making starts in spring training, that is three spots spoken for. Right-hander German Marquez, the former Colorado Rockies ace signed as camp started, has turned in a solid first two appearances this spring and is the default option having signed a major-league contract. That leaves it up to Musgrove's status to determine the final starter. With right-hander Griffin Canning, like Marquez signed to a major-league contract, still making his way back from a ruptured left Achilles sustained in June and ticketed for the injured list to begin the season, the next logical candidate is former Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler. Signed to a minor-league contract, Buehler has been encouraging in his first two starts this spring. He recently said he was pain-free following his own Tommy John surgery that affected how he pitched last year for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. His pedigree, as long as his stuff holds up, would fit very nicely into the Friars' starting give. If not, Buehler does have the ability to opt-out of his contract if not included on the Opening Day roster. Another option, if Musgrove is able to go Opening Day but not quite built up to where he needs to be, would be carrying an extra starter. This would bode well for someone like left-hander Kyle Hart, who has been building up his innings this spring as a "bridge" reliever, as first-year manager Craig Stammen said. Hart's chances are also bolstered if another left-hander, Yuki Matsui, is not available by Opening Day due to his strained left groin. Regardless, the Friars seem to be in a decent position to absorb whatever happens to Musgrove and Pivetta between now and Opening Day.

After surprisingly receiving a major-league contract this offseason, right-hander Daison Acosta is headed back to the minors before the season begins. The San Diego Padres announced Monday that the 27-year-old reliever had cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A El Paso. It had not been previously known that it had been designated for assignment. This leaves the Padres' 40-man roster at 39. Also, catcher Ethan Salas, the Friars' top position player prospect, was reassigned to minor-league camp. Salas had been a non-roster invitee to major-league camp. Acosta, who signed a one-year contract for the MLB minimum of $780,000 in early December, has spent his previous eight seasons in the minors, the first six with the New York Mets and the last two with the Washington Nationals. The Padres gave him that deal after Acosta finished the season with a 0.90 ERA in 26 games, striking out 46 in 30 innings at Double-A. But that came after he opened the season at Triple-A and put up a 5.57 ERA in 19 games. It could portend an outside addition or adding a non-roster player to the 40-man roster. The Friars also have another 40-man move to make before Opening Day, with Yu Darvish not pitching this season.

While the key players at the World Baseball Classic won't be returning for a while, things are heating up at San Diego Padres camp. Some players continue to make a push to be on the Opening Day roster, which figures to lead to some tough decisions for new manager Craig Stammen and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Friars improved to 8-8 in Cactus League play, beating the Chicago Cubs 3-0 Friday, losing to the Cleveland Guardians 7-1 Saturday and beating the Cincinnati Reds 14-3 Sunday. Who's Hot at Padres Camp? 🔥 Nick Castellanos: Going 1-for-3 in two Cactus League games might not mean a whole lot, but the probable Opening Day first baseman (at least as part of a platoon) showed that his offense is coming along. Castellanos had an RBI single in the third inning off Cubs right-hander Ben Brown, then drew two walks in his three plate appearances against the Reds. His spring average is up to .318 (7-for-22) and he has now walked one more time than he has struck out (5-4). That is the type of look the Friars would be looking for from a potential No. 5 hitter in the lineup. Logan Gillaspie and Kyle Hart: I had them individually here in the last version of this feature, but since they pitched back-to-back Sunday and turned in very nice outings, I am combining them this time around. Gillaspie, a right-hander, started and stretched out to four innings against the Reds and still has yet to allow a run over 7⅔ innings this spring. He did walk two and only struck out a pair after having back-to-back outings with three strikeouts. Hart, a left-hander, came in for 2⅔ scoreless innings, facing the minimum and striking out three. Like Gillaspie, he hasn't allowed a run this spring, going 8⅔ innings. Jackson Merrill: The center fielder, looking to shake off a his injury-marred 2025 season, has five hits in his last 11 at-bats. That includes having two doubles in three at-bats vs. the Reds and scoring once. While the Padres figure out how their top four hitters will slot in, Merrill regaining his rookie form will go a long way toward making the offense much more productive. Who's Not? 🧊 Luis Campusano: Coming back to Campusano in the cold section isn't easy, especially considering I take spring training results with a grain of salt. But when a guy's primary contribution is with his bat and his exhibition average drops to .143 with Opening Day 17 days away, this starts to become a concern. Campusano started two of the three games and went 1-for-6, which is actually higher (.167) than his spring average. He is making contact, lining out, grounding out and flying out with similar exit velocities, so it could be a simple funk that just takes one good game to break out of. Gavin Sheets: Could Sunday have been significant for the slugging first baseman? The left-handed hitter smashed his first homer of the spring and it couldn't have come at a better time. Sheets has been scuffling this spring, entering the game 3-for-15 (.200) before roping a 97.7 mph four-seamer from Reds right-hander Chase Burns for a two-run homer, his first of the spring. With how some other candidates have been performing, there could have been some small rumbles about Sheets' roster spot, but this will calm that down for now. Mason McCoy: Getting starts at second and shortstop, McCoy isn't hitting his way onto this roster as of now. After going 0-for-6 in those two games, McCoy is now down to a .143 spring average (3-for-21), although he does have a double and triple in there. McCoy is a true shortstop, which is his path to a bench role, but with what other players bring offensively, that probably isn't enough to get him to San Diego come Opening Day.