Steve Drumwright

Jase Bowen homered as part of a big day at the plate as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas rolled past Round Rock 14-3. Carson Tucker delivered a go-ahead hit as the Double-A San Antonio Missions pulled out a 7-6 win over Frisco. The High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps won 3-2 on walk-off homer by Jack Costello and five more shutout innings by Kash Mayfield. The Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm got walked off by Visalia 7-6. Padres Minor-League Transactions El Paso Chihuahuas placed OF Pablo Reyes on the temporarily inactive list. El Paso Chihuahuas activated 2B Nate Mondou from the Development List. Jase Bowen Blasts 12th Homer As Chihuahuas Go Deep 4 Times Jase Bowen's team-leading 12th homer was one of four blasts hit by the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, who put up two five-run innings en route to a 14-3 victory over the Round Rock Express. Anthony Vilar, Nate Mondou and Nick Solak also went deep for the Chihuahuas. Bowen drove in three and scored three and Carlos Rodriguez had three RBIs, while Mondou and Marcos Castanon each drove in two and scored two. Castanon came off the bench to go 3-for-4. Chihuahuas right-handed starter Evan Fitterer pitched 5⅓ scoreless innings, giving up four hits and two walks, while striking out five. Right-hander Garrett Hawkins went 1⅔ scoreless innings, walking three and striking out one, with right-hander Justin Yeager giving up all three runs in the final two innings. Castanon had a two-run double in the third inning and Bowen cranked out his three-run blast one out later for a 5-0 lead. Vilar hit his second homer an inning later for a 6-0 cushion, before the Chihuahuas scored five more in the fifth. Will Wagner had an RBI single, Rodriguez a two-run triple and Mondou capped the rally with a two-run homer, his fourth this year. Solak's homer was a two-run blast in the sixth to make it 13-0. EP_0522.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Samad Taylor 4 1 0 0 1 0 Clay Dungan 1 0 0 0 0 1 Marcos Castañon 4 2 3 2 0 0 Nick Solak 4 2 1 2 0 0 Jase Bowen 4 3 2 3 1 1 Will Wagner 5 1 3 1 0 0 Mason McCoy 4 1 1 0 1 0 Carlos Rodríguez 3 1 1 3 1 0 Nate Mondou 4 2 2 2 1 1 Anthony Vilar 4 1 1 1 0 1 Totals 37 14 14 14 5 4 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Evan Fitterer 5 1/3 4 0 0 2 5 0 Garrett Hawkins 1 2/3 0 0 0 3 1 0 Justin Yeager 2 2 3 3 2 0 2 Totals 9 6 3 3 7 6 2 Missions Hang On After Carson Tucker's Decisive 2-Run Single In Eighth Carson Tucker hit a go-ahead two-run single in a three-run eighth inning and Francisco Acuna homered in the ninth as the Double-A San Antonio Missions held on despite giving up a ninth-inning homer to beat the host Frisco RoughRiders 7-6. Missions right-handed starter Victor Lizarraga went six innings, allowing just one run on seven hits and a walk with five strikeouts. After a 10.91 ERA in April, Lizarraga has allowed just three earned runs over 20 innings in May for a 1.35 ERA this month. Tirso Ornelas went 4-for-5, Ryan Jackson went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Albert Fabian also drove in two for the Missions. Frisco had taken a 4-3 lead with a three-run bottom of the seventh. But the Missions regained the lead in the top of the eighth. Jackson had a leadoff single, Acuna walked and both advanced on Luis Verdugo's sacrifice bunt. Tucker followed by lining a single to center to bring in Jackson and Acuna for a 5-4 lead. Ethan Salas singled Tucker to third and Ornelas boosted the lead to 6-4 with an infield single. Acuna provided much-needed insurance when he lined his second homer of the season with two outs in the top of the ninth. Missions right-hander Andrew Dalquist gave up a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth before securing his first save of the season and the third of his career. SA_0522.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 4 1 1 2 1 1 Ethan Salas 5 0 1 0 0 1 Romeo Sanabria 4 2 1 0 1 3 Tirso Ornelas 5 0 4 1 0 0 Albert Fabian 5 0 2 2 0 1 Kai Roberts 0 0 0 0 0 0 Braedon Karpathios 5 0 0 0 0 3 Ryan Jackson 5 2 3 0 0 1 Francisco Acuna 2 2 1 1 2 0 Luis Verdugo 4 0 2 1 0 2 Totals 39 7 15 7 4 12 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Victor Lizarraga 6 7 1 1 1 5 1 Andrew Moore 1/3 0 3 3 4 1 0 Sadrac Franco 1 2/3 2 0 0 0 3 0 Andrew Dalquist 1 1 2 2 1 3 1 Totals 9 10 6 6 6 12 2 Jack Costello's 3-Run Walk-Off Bomb, Kash Mayfield's 8 K's Lift TinCaps Jack Costello hit a three-run walk-off homer and left-handed starter Kash Mayfield struck out eight over five innings as the host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps shocked the Dayton Dragons 3-2. Held to two hits through eight innings, the TinCaps got a leadoff single from Alex McCoy and Carlos Rodriguez reached when the left fielder botched his fly ball. Costello stepped to the plate and yanked a 1-0 pitch deep to left-field for a no-doubt walk-off. It was Costello's fifth homer of the season and first since going deep in back-to-back games May 1-2. FW1_0522.mp4 Mayfield, Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect, extended his scoreless streak to 15 innings as he allowed just two hits and a walk in his third straight start of five scoreless innings. He has struck out 17 in his last two outings and lowered his ERA to 1.30 to take over the Midwest League lead. Mayfield hasn't allowed a run in six of his eight starts. He also leads the league in WHIP (0.72) and opponent batting average (.103). TinCaps right-hander Isaiah Lowe pitched two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk with three strikeouts, but left-hander C.J. Widger gave up a pair of runs in the top of the eighth on three walks and a run-scoring soft grounder to no-man's land between first and second. Widger was replaced by right-hander Will Varmette, who struck out a batter but then issued a bases-loaded walk. That TinCaps trio limited the Dragons to just four hits and combined for 13 strikeouts. FW2_0522.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 4 0 0 0 0 1 Rosman Verdugo 1 0 0 0 3 0 Lamar King Jr. 4 0 0 0 0 2 Alex McCoy 4 1 1 0 0 1 Jake Cunningham 4 0 0 0 0 2 Carlos Rodriguez 4 0 1 0 0 1 Kasen Wells 0 1 0 0 0 0 Jack Costello 4 1 1 3 0 1 Kavares Tears 3 0 0 0 0 0 Jonathan Vastine 3 0 1 0 0 2 Totals 31 3 4 3 3 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kash Mayfield 5 2 0 0 1 8 0 Isaiah Lowe 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 C.J. Widger 1/3 1 2 2 3 0 0 Will Varmette 1 2/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Totals 9 4 2 2 6 13 0 Storm Tie It In Ninth, But Get Walked Off By Rawhide Jose Verdugo hit a run-scoring infield chopper in the top of the ninth, but the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm gave up a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth for an 8-6 loss to the Visalia Rawhide. Dylan Grego, who was hitless in his previous 11 at-bats entering the game, went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Storm. Ryan Wideman and Ty Harvey each had a couple hits, with Wideman stealing two more bases to give him 32. That is tied for the most in the minors with Tate Southisene of Augusta (Carolina League). Truitt Madonna, with his 10th, and Kerrington Cross, with his fifth, gave the Storm four more steals, giving them 123 for the season, second in the minors. Grego hit his two-run homer, his first of the season, with one out in the top of the second for a 2-0 lead. In the fourth, the Storm scored three times. Harvey had a leadoff double and Yoiber Ocopio a one-out RBI single. Grego got his second hit of the day with a single and Conner Westenburg doubled both home with two outs for a 5-0 lead. Visalia countered with a pair of three-run innings in the fourth and fifth to take a 6-5 lead. It remained that way until the top of the ninth. That is when George Bilecki reached on a leadoff error and was replaced by pinch-runner Qrey Lott. After an out, Wideman singled to right, moving Lott to second and Cross walked to load the bases. Verdugo then hit a chopper that the third baseman had to charge and his only play was to first, but Verdugo beat the throw. Storm left-handed starter Kruz Schoolcraft, Padres Mission's No. 4 prospect, allowed three runs in 3⅓ innings on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Right-hander Nick Falter tossed three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and no walks with four strikeouts. LE_0522.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 5 0 2 0 0 0 Kerrington Cross 2 0 1 0 3 0 Jose Verdugo 5 0 1 1 0 1 Ty Harvey 5 1 2 0 0 1 Truitt Madonna 3 1 0 0 0 1 Yoiber Ocopio 4 1 1 1 0 1 Dylan Grego 4 2 2 2 0 0 George Bilecki 3 0 0 0 0 0 Qrey Lott 0 1 0 0 0 0 Conner Westenburg 4 0 1 2 0 0 Totals 35 6 10 6 3 4 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kruz Schoolcraft 3 1/3 2 3 3 2 5 1 Rordy Mejia 1 2/3 4 3 3 1 1 2 Nick Falter 3 1 0 0 0 4 0 Vicarte Domingo 2/3 1 2 2 1 2 1 Totals 8 2/3 8 8 8 4 12 4 Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 1-for-5, K Kash Mayfield: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: 3⅓ IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR Ryan Wideman: 2-for-5 Jorge Quintana: DNP Ty Harvey: 2-for-5, 2B, K Kale Fountain: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 0-for-5, 3 K Lamar King Jr.: 0-for-4, 2 K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-4, K Truitt Madonna: 0-for-3, K Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: 1⅔ IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 0-for-1, 3 BB Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View full article

Strong pitching was back on display for the San Diego Padres' affiliates Thursday as Ian Koenig struck out six in seven shutout innings as Double-A San Antonio won. Carson Montgomery continues to stand out as he fanned seven over five innings in High-A Fort Wayne's triumph, while Bryan Balzer and three relievers combined on a three-hitter in Low-A Lake Elsinore's victory, which featured a pair of homers. Samad Taylor had a big day at the plate with four hits for Triple-A El Paso, which lost in extra innings. Padres Minor-League Transactions San Antonio Missions activated C Jake Bold from the Development List. Samad Taylor Notches 4 Hits, But Chihuahuas Fall In 10th A day after giving up 23 runs in a blowout loss, the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas found an excruciating way to lose as the Round Rock Express scored the zombie runner during a rundown to notch a 5-4 win in 10 innings. With the zombie runner at second base to begin the top of the 10th, a single put runners on the corners. The runner at first then took off for second, but got himself into a rundown and the runner from third scored. In the bottom of the 10th, Clay Dungan was the Chihuahuas' zombie runner and went to third on a wild pitch. But he was stranded there as Marcos Castanon grounded back to the pitcher, Anthony Vilar struck out and Samad Taylor grounded out. Taylor finished the day 4-for-6 with a run scored, while Mason McCoy went 2-for-5 with two steals and scored a run. Round Rock scored two in the first and two in the fourth inning off Chihuahuas left-handed starter Jackson Wolf, who was pulled after 3⅔. He gave up six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Right-handers Logan Gillaspie and Ethan Routzahn combined for 5⅓ scoreless innings before right-hander David Morgan took over in the 10th. The Chihuahuas scored once in the bottom of the first on a Jase Bowen groundout to make it 2-1, then another in the fifth on a Vilar double, a Taylor single, a Pablo Reyes walk to load the bases and a two-out wild pitch to pull within 4-2. They tied it in the sixth as McCoy singled, stole second, Dungan walked and Castanon had an RBI single. Taylor then had a one-out single to reload the bases and Reyes hit a tying sacrifice fly. EP_0521.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Samad Taylor 6 1 4 0 0 1 Pablo Reyes 1 0 0 1 3 0 Will Wagner 4 0 0 0 1 0 Jase Bowen 5 0 1 1 0 1 Nick Solak 3 0 0 0 0 2 Carlos Rodríguez 1 0 1 0 0 0 Mason McCoy 5 1 2 0 0 1 Clay Dungan 2 1 0 0 3 1 Marcos Castañon 5 0 1 1 0 0 Anthony Vilar 5 1 1 0 0 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jackson Wolf 3 2/3 6 4 4 2 4 0 Logan Gillaspie 3 1/3 2 0 0 0 4 0 Ethan Routzahn 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 David Morgan (L) 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 Ian Koenig In Control With 7 Shutout Innings For Missions Right-handed starter Ian Koenig's roller-coaster season hit a new high as he threw seven shutout innings in the Double-A San Antonio Missions' 5-1 victory over the host Frisco RoughRiders. Romeo Sanabria had two hits and an RBI, while Ethan Salas and Luis Verdugo also drove in runs for the Missions. Koenig scattered five hits and didn't walk anyone while striking out a season-high six. The seven innings matches his career high, accomplished in back-to-back outings in August for High-A Fort Wayne. Koenig retired the first eight RoughRiders before plunking a batter and giving up a single to the next hitter in the third inning before getting out of the mini-jam. The Missions scored three runs in the top of the fourth and two more in the seventh. In the fourth, Kai Roberts had a leadoff single, went to second on a groundout and third on Braedon Karpathios' single to right. Sanabria drove Roberts in with a ground single to right. After a strikeout, a passed ball scored Karpathios from third, then Verdugo singled to right to make it 3-0. There were two outs in the seventh when Francisco Acuna and Kai Murphy walked, then Salas singled in a run, Roberts walked to load the bases and Ornelas made it 5-0 when the pitcher couldn't catch a toss from the first baseman as he covered the bag. The RoughRiders scored their lone run in the eighth off right-hander Josh Mallitz (two strikeouts) and right-hander Johan Moreno pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout. SA_0521.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ethan Salas 5 0 1 1 0 0 Kai Roberts 4 1 1 0 1 1 Tirso Ornelas 4 0 0 0 0 0 Braedon Karpathios 4 1 1 0 0 1 Romeo Sanabria 4 1 2 1 0 1 Ryan Jackson 3 0 0 0 1 2 Luis Verdugo 4 0 1 1 0 2 Francisco Acuna 2 1 0 0 2 2 Kai Murphy 2 1 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ian Koenig (W) 7 5 0 0 0 6 0 Josh Mallitz 1 2 1 1 0 2 0 Johan Moreno 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Carson Montgomery Fans 7, TinCaps Win On Passed Ball Right-hander Carson Montgomery struck out a career-high seven over five innings, Jake Cunningham homered and the host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps scored the tiebreaking run on a passed ball in the seventh inning to pull out a 5-4 victory over the Dayton Dragons. Fort Wayne won despite having just four hits as it drew 11 walks. Montgomery entered the game with a 16-inning scoreless streak, but yielded his only run in the top of the first inning. He has pitched exactly five innings in each of his last four starts in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. He allowed three hits and two walks, surpassing his previous career best of six strikeouts set in his final start before surgery in 2024 with Low-A Lake Elsinore. Even with the run allowed, his ERA now stands at 1.41. While the Dragons got three runs (two earned) in the sixth inning against left-hander Igor Gil, the rest of the TinCaps' bullpen—left-hander Braian Salazar,right-hander Tucker Musgrove and right-handed closer Clay Edmondson—didn't allow a hit and struck out four over the final three innings. Edmondson earned his ninth save, which leads the minors, and is unscored upon in 13 of his 15 appearances for a 0.50 ERA. Down 1-0, Fort Wayne tied it in the second after three walks loaded the bases and Zach Evans hit into a double play that brought in the tying run. In the fifth, two walks preceded Justin DeCriscio laying down a very nice bunt that the third baseman threw into the bullpen down the right-field line, scoring one for a 2-1 TinCaps lead. Dayton plated three runs in the top of the sixth, which included a throwing error and a passed ball by TinCaps catcher Lamar King Jr., to take a 4-2 lead. Cunningham launched his seventh homer of the season to lead off the sixth inning that trimmed the TinCaps' deficit to 4-3. In the seventh, Rosman Verdugo drew a leadoff walk and was erased on a King forceout. King then stole second and Alex McCoy hit a tying double on an opposite-field flare down the right-field line. Cunningham had an infield single, moving McCoy to third, then stole second. After an out, McCoy scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball. Cunningham had two hits and drew two walks. FW_0521.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 4 0 1 0 1 2 Rosman Verdugo 2 0 0 0 2 2 Lamar King Jr. 4 1 0 0 0 1 Alex McCoy 3 2 1 1 1 0 Jake Cunningham 2 1 2 1 2 0 Jack Costello 2 0 0 0 2 1 Zach Evans 4 0 0 0 0 2 Jonathan Vastine 2 1 0 0 2 1 Kasen Wells 3 0 0 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Carson Montgomery 5 3 1 1 2 7 0 Igor Gil (BS) 1 3 3 2 2 2 0 Braian Salazar (W) 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Tucker Musgrove (H) 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Clay Edmondson (S) 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Pair Of Homers Fuel Early Outburst, Pitchers Locked In As Storm Roll Yoiber Ocopio and Kerrington Cross hit homers to lead an early blitz by the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm in a 9-3 win over the host Visalia Rawhide. Storm right-handed starter Bryan Balzer allowed all three Rawhide hits in five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) with two walks and six strikeouts. Right-handers Brandon Langley (two innings), Sean Barnett and Will Koger allowed just a walk over the final four innings. But by that time, the Storm offense had already done its damage, scoring twice in the first on a double steal with Bradley Frye swiping home and Truitt Madonna added an RBI single, then two more in the third on Ocopio's second homer of the season, a no-doubt two-run shot for a 4-1 lead. It was the fifth where the Storm blew this one open. Ryan Wideman had a leadoff double and scored on Jose Verdugo's one-out single. Verdugo then stole second and Ty Harvey walked with a wild pitch putting Verdugo on third. Madonna then drove in Verdugo with a single to left and Cross followed with his three-run homer, an opposite-field drive to right for his third blast of the year and a 9-1 lead. Madonna finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored, Verdugo went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, Qrey Lott had three hits and Harvey had a pair of hits and scored once. LE_0521.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 6 1 1 0 0 2 Bradley Frye 4 1 1 0 1 2 Jose Verdugo 5 2 3 1 0 0 Ty Harvey 4 1 2 0 1 2 Truitt Madonna 5 1 3 2 0 0 Kerrington Cross 3 2 1 3 2 0 Yoiber Ocopio 4 1 1 2 1 2 Qrey Lott 4 0 3 0 0 0 Conner Westenburg 5 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Bryan Balzer (W) 5 3 3 2 2 6 0 Brandon Langley 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sean Barnett 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Will Koger 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 1-for-5 Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: 1-for-6, 2B, 2 K Jorge Quintana: DNP Ty Harvey: 2-for-4, 2 K Kale Fountain: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 1-for-4, K Lamar King Jr.: 0-for-4, K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-3, 2B Truitt Madonna: 3-for-5 Tucker Musgrove: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 0-for-2, 2 K Bryan Balzer: 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Deivid Coronil: DNP View full article

Already sporting a very deep and very versatile bullpen, the San Diego Padres could be looking to strengthen that unit even more. According to a report by Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the Friars are on the lookout to improve the best unit on the team. That could mean strengthening the back end, which already has the best closer in MLB in right-hander Mason Miller. While Miller is coming off his first blown save of the season in a 5-4 loss to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday, the only other reliable end-of-game options are right-hander Jason Adam and left-hander Adrian Morejon. There are also some softer spots in the relief corps in right-hander Ron Marinaccio and left-hander Yuki Matsui. Lin mentioned two possible acquisitions: left-handers Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox and Josh Hader of the Houston Astros. Due to both teams struggling this year, they could be available for cheap, although the Padres' farm system is not very deep in prospects. Entering Thursday, the Padres rank seventh in MLB in innings pitched by relievers at 200⅓ as well as ERA at 3.32. Miller has already had three appearances where he was called upon to get four outs, which is more than he had last year with the A's. In fact, Miller only went more than three outs twice before the Padres acquired him in a blockbuster at the trade deadline. He went more than one inning five times after joining the Padres. Adding to this possibility is the new ownership that is set to be approved by MLB in the next month in Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, who could be looking to give president of baseball operations A.J. Preller room to do what he needs to do before the trade deadline. View full rumor

It was a rough day Wednesday for the San Diego Padres' affiliates as Triple-A El Paso and High-A Fort Wayne each surrendered more than 20 runs, while Double-A San Antonio could muster just four hits and Low-A Lake Elsinore wasted a strong start by Jesus Castro. Padres Minor-League Transactions El Paso Chihuahuas released 3B Jose Miranda. El Paso Chihuahuas sent RHP Ty Adcock on a rehab assignment to Fort Wayne TinCaps. Chihuahuas Issue 13 Walks, Get Throttled By Express The host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas held a 7-6 lead after two innings, but gave up 17 unanswered runs as the Round Rock Express cruised to a 23-7 victory. While the hits were fairly even, with the Express holding a 14-12 advantage, Chihuahuas pitchers issued a whopping 13 walks. The top four hitters in the Chihuahuas' lineup had nine hits, with Clay Dungan getting three and Samad Taylor, Pablo Reyes and Jase Bowen two each. Dungan was the only El Paso hitter to drive in multiple runs with two. Chihuahuas left-handed starter Fernando Sanchez, in just his second Triple-A game, gave up six runs on three hits and two walks with no strikeouts in two innings. All six Chihuahuas pitchers gave up at least one one walk, with right-hander Misael Tamarez issuing four free passes in 1⅓ innings. Dungan came on to get the final two outs and gave up five runs. EP_0520.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Samad Taylor 5 2 2 0 0 1 Clay Dungan 5 1 3 2 0 0 Pablo Reyes 4 1 2 1 1 0 Jase Bowen 3 0 2 0 1 1 Mason McCoy 1 0 0 0 0 0 Nick Solak 5 0 0 1 0 0 Carlos Rodríguez 3 0 0 0 1 1 Marcos Castañon 3 1 1 0 1 0 Nick Schnell 4 1 1 0 0 3 Victor Duarte 3 1 1 1 0 1 Anthony Vilar 1 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Fernando Sanchez 2 3 6 6 2 0 1 Miguel Cienfuegos 3 2 2 2 2 3 0 Michael Flynn 1 3 5 3 1 1 0 Kyle Hart 1 1 1 1 3 1 0 Misael Tamarez 1 1/3 0 4 4 4 2 0 Clay Dungan 2/3 5 5 5 1 1 0 Kai Murphy Homers, But That Is Lone Highlight In Missions' Loss The host Double-A San Antonio Missions managed just four hits in dropping a 5-1 decision to the Frisco RoughRiders. Kai Murphy homered in the third inning and had two of the Missions' four hits. Murphy also had his fifth stolen base in addition to his first homer of the year. Frisco scored once in the first, took a 3-1 lead in the fourth and added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Missions left-handed starter Jagger Haynes went five innings and gave up four runs on eight hits, including a pair of homers, and two walks with five strikeouts. Haynes has gone at least five innings in six of his eight starts this season, including his last five. SA_0520.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 4 0 0 0 0 1 Kai Murphy 4 1 2 1 0 0 Albert Fabian 4 0 1 0 0 1 Tirso Ornelas 4 0 0 0 0 2 Romeo Sanabria 4 0 0 0 0 0 Braedon Karpathios 2 0 0 0 1 1 Ryan Jackson 3 0 1 0 0 0 Luis Verdugo 3 0 0 0 0 0 Chris Sargent 3 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jagger Haynes 5 8 4 4 2 5 2 Francis Peña 2 2 1 1 0 4 0 Clark Candiotti 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 TinCaps Blitzed Early, Get Smoked By Dragons The host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps were buried by an early avalanche of runs en route to dropping a 22-8 setback at the hands of the Dayton Dragons. Dayton, which hit six homers in the game, scored five runs in the first inning and eight in the second. The 22 runs allowed were the most in TinCaps history. Alex McCoy, Justin DeCriscio and Lamar King Jr. each homered for the TinCaps, with King's being a three-run blast and McCoy and DeCriscio hitting solo shots. DeCriscio, McCoy, Jake Cunningham, Jack Costello and Oswaldo Linares each had two hits and King was the only player who drove in multiple runs. TinCaps right-handed starter Maikel Miralles gave up eight runs in 1⅔ innings, walking five and allowing two hits with no strikeouts. Right-handed reliever Ty Adcock, on the Padres' 40-man roster and assigned to Triple-A, made his first rehab appearance since a spring training oblique injury, allowing two runs on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts in one inning. FW_0520.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 3 2 2 1 2 0 Rosman Verdugo 4 1 1 0 1 2 Lamar King Jr. 5 1 1 3 0 1 Alex McCoy 4 2 2 1 1 1 Jake Cunningham 5 1 2 1 0 2 Jack Costello 5 1 2 1 0 2 Zach Evans 3 0 0 0 2 1 Oswaldo Linares 5 0 2 1 0 2 Kasen Wells 5 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Maikel Miralles 1 2/3 2 8 7 5 0 2 Kleiber Olmedo 2 1/3 6 5 5 2 1 1 Ty Adcock 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 Javier Chacon 2 2 2 2 1 0 1 Jeferson Villabona 1 4 4 4 0 0 1 Jonathan Vastine 1 2 1 1 0 1 0 Jesus Castro Fans 6, But Fateful 4-Run Inning Costs Storm Right-handed starter Jesus Castro turned in his second straight shutout performance, but one bad inning doomed the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm in a 6-3 loss to the Visalia Rawhide. Castro struck out six in four shutout innings, allowing four hits and two walks. That follows 5⅔ shutout innings in his start last week vs. Rancho Cucamonga in which he struck out nine. Castro has 22 strikeouts over 15⅓ innings in his last three starts. But the Rawhide scored four runs in the fifth inning off left-handed reliever Joseph Herrera, who didn't retire any of the five batters he faced, walking two, allowing two hits and hitting another as Visalia took a 4-1 lead. After the Storm scored in the top of the sixth, the Rawhide added two more in the seventh. Jose Verdugo hit a solo homer in the eighth inning for the Storm. He also doubled and scored on Truitt Madonna's sixth-inning single. Bradley Frye had an RBI groundout in the top of the third. Madonna had three hits. LE_0520.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 5 0 1 0 0 3 Bradley Frye 4 0 0 1 0 1 Jose Verdugo 3 2 2 1 1 1 Ty Harvey 2 0 0 0 2 1 Truitt Madonna 4 0 3 1 0 0 Jorge Quintana 4 0 0 0 0 4 George Bilecki 3 0 0 0 0 2 Kerrington Cross 1 0 1 0 0 0 Dylan Grego 3 0 0 0 0 0 Yoiber Ocopio 1 0 0 0 0 1 Qrey Lott 4 1 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jesus A. Castro 4 4 0 0 2 6 0 Joseph Herrera 0 2 4 4 2 0 0 Carson Swilling 2 2 0 0 2 4 0 Cal Riehl 1 2 2 0 0 1 0 Daichi Moriki 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: DNP Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: 1-for-5, 3 K Jorge Quintana: 0-for-4, 4 K Ty Harvey: 0-for-2, 1 K Kale Fountain: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 0-for-2, 1 K Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-5, HR, 1 K Jagger Haynes: 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HR Alex McCoy: 2-for-4, HR, 1 K Truitt Madonna: 3-for-4 Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-4, 2 K Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View full article

Infielder Jose Miranda, considered a long shot to make the San Diego Padres' Opening Day roster, was released by the team Tuesday. Miranda had a June 1 opt-out in his contract, per the San Diego Union-Tribune. The 27-year-old Miranda had been with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas this season and had produced a .268/.308/.482 slash line with five homers and 26 RBIs in 28 games. The move was not that all surprising as there was no room for Miranda on the Padres' roster. First baseman Ty France earned the last bench spot in spring training and the Padres have not used infielder Sung-Mun Song, signed to a four-year, $15 million contract in the offseason, much since he was called up to replace second baseman Jake Cronenworth, who is on the seven-day concussion list. At Triple-A, he mainly played first base, starting there 15 of the 16 games he played there. Miranda only played five games at third base, his primary position when he was with the Minnesota Twins. Miranda had a solid spring training with a .304/.385/.522 slash line, a pair of homers and nine RBIs in 22 games. View full rumor

Jase Bowen had an inside-the-park homer as Triple-A El Paso won 10-7 over Round Rock. Braedon Karpathios hit one of four homers in Double-A San Antonio's 12-6 win over Frisco. High-A Fort Wayne fell to Dayton 11-2, while Low-A Lake Elsinore could only squeeze out two hits in a 4-2 loss to Visalia. Padres Minor-League Transactions RHP Michael Flynn assigned to El Paso Chihuahuas from San Antonio Missions. El Paso Chihuahuas sent C Blake Hunt on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres. Lake Elsinore Storm sent RHP Landry Jurecka on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres. Padres signed free agent OF Jhostin Fuentes to a minor-league contract. Padres signed free agent RHP Valentin Perez to a minor-league contract. Padres signed free agent Diego Alfonzo to a minor-league contract. Padres signed free agent RHP Aneury Sosa to a minor-league contract. Padres signed free agent RHP Yohn Melendez to a minor-league contract. Padres signed free agent LHP Jhoiner Mayora to a minor-league contract. Padres signed free agent RHP Jederson Paez to a minor-league contract. Inside-The-Park Homer By Jase Bowen Fuels Chihuahuas Jase Bowen had three legs of the cycle, including an inside-the-park homer, and reached base five times as the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas stopped the Round Rock Express 10-7. Bowen went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBIs, plus two walks out of the cleanup spot. Pablo Reyes also had three hits and scored three runs, while Mason McCoy drove in three runs, including a big two-run double in the fourth inning. Samad Taylor had two hits, scored once and drove in a pair, while Will Wagner went 2-for-3 with a walk. Bowen had an RBI double in a two-run first inning, then hit his two-run inside-the-park homer in the third for a 4-0 lead. Bowen hit a drive to center that caromed off an angled wall and into right-center that allowed the speedster to come all the way home for his 11th round-tripper this year. The Chihuhuas hit for the cycle in the third as Reyes preceded Bowen's homer with a double, Wagner tripled right after Bowen and Taylor singled later in the inning to make it 6-0. Round Rock, though, scored five times in the top of the fourth to make it 6-5, but the Chihuahuas added two in the fourth on McCoy's double for an 8-5. The Express chipped away with runs in the fifth and sixth innings before El Paso scored twice on grounders in the sixth. Chihuahuas left-handed starter JP Sears gave up five runs in 3⅔ innings on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Right-handers Alek Jacob (two innings) and David Morgan combined to retire the final nine hitters, with Morgan getting his second save of the year. EP_0519.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Samad Taylor 5 1 2 2 0 1 Carlos Rodríguez 5 1 1 1 0 0 Pablo Reyes 5 3 3 0 0 0 Jase Bowen 3 3 3 3 2 0 Will Wagner 3 0 2 0 1 0 Mason McCoy 3 1 1 3 1 0 Nick Schnell 5 0 0 0 0 1 Clay Dungan 5 1 1 0 0 1 Anthony Vilar 3 0 0 0 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR JP Sears 3 2/3 7 5 5 3 4 0 Justin Yeager 1 1 1 1 3 2 0 Garrett Hawkins 1 1/3 1 1 1 1 1 0 Alek Jacob 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 David Morgan 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Missions Blast 4 Homers, Cruise Past RoughRiders Braedon Karpathios, Albert Fabian, Francisco Acuna and Kai Roberts homered as the Double-A San Antonio Missions rolled to a 12-6 victory over the host Frisco RoughRiders. Roberts went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs from the No. 9 slot, whie Ethan Salas, Karpathios, Ryan Jackson and Fabian each had two of the Missions' 15 hits. Karpathios had a three-run homer, while Salas and Acuna also drove in a pair. Missions right-handed starter Miguel Mendez, Padres Mission's No. 3 prospect, only got two outs in the bottom of the first before the bullpen was summoned. He gave up three runs. But that came after Karpathios, Padres Mission's No. 9 prospect, hit his three-run bomb in the top of the first, his third of the season, so it was tied after one inning. In the top of the second, the Missions continued to have hot bats as Fabian and Acuna went back-to-back to begin the inning. It was Fabian's third homer and Acuna's first of the season. Roberts followed with an infield single, then stole second and third before a Salas sacrifice fly made it 6-3. Roberts is now 13-for-13 in stolen bases this year. In the top of the third, Tirso Ornelas singled and Romeo Sanabria walked before two one-out wild pitches brought in Ornelas for a 7-3 lead. Frisco finally got on the board in the bottom of the third, but the Missions put this one away as Roberts hit his first homer, a solo shot, in the sixth and then had an RBI double in the eighth as part of a three-run rally. Missions right-handed reliever Andrew Dalquist pitched two hitless innings and right-hander Sadrac Franco pitched the final 1⅓ innings without allowing a hit. SA_0519.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 6 1 1 1 0 1 Ethan Salas 4 1 2 2 0 0 Braedon Karpathios 5 1 2 3 0 2 Tirso Ornelas 5 1 1 0 0 3 Romeo Sanabria 4 0 1 0 1 2 Ryan Jackson 5 2 2 0 0 0 Albert Fabian 5 1 2 1 0 1 Francisco Acuna 3 2 1 2 0 1 Kai Roberts 3 3 3 2 2 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Miguel Mendez 0 2/3 2 3 3 2 2 0 Omar Cruz 2 1/3 3 1 1 1 2 0 Andrew Dalquist 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 Harry Gustin 2 2/3 2 2 2 0 3 2 Sadrac Franco 1 1/3 0 0 0 2 0 0 TinCaps' Bullpen Falters After Solid Start By Matthew Watson Three hits from Kasen Wells and five solid innings by right-handed starter Matthew Watson wasn't enough as the host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps were smothered by the Dayton Dragons 11-2. Watson, who is making his pro debut this year following Tommy John surgery in 2023, pitched a season-high five innings, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and season-best five strikeouts. It was his third straight start after opening with three relief appearances. But the TinCaps' usually reliable bullpen needed five relievers to cover the final four innings, with Dayton gettings nine runs in the last three. The TinCaps' offense didn't do a whole lot. Aside from Wells' three hits, the rest of the lineup produced just four hits. The TinCaps runs came on a Rosman Verdugo sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and a Carlos E. Rodriguez RBI groundout in the ninth. Wells scored both of the runs. Alex McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 12 prospect, had a double to pull into a tie for the Midwest League lead with 13. Verdugo, Padres Mission's No. 18 prospect, reached base safely in three of his five trips to the plate with a double and two walks. FW_0519.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 4 0 1 0 1 2 Rosman Verdugo 2 0 1 1 2 0 Carlos Rodriguez 4 0 0 1 1 2 Alex McCoy 5 0 1 0 0 1 Lamar King Jr. 4 0 0 0 0 0 Kavares Tears 3 0 0 0 1 3 Zach Evans 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jack Costello 4 0 1 0 0 1 Kasen Wells 4 2 3 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Matthew Watson 5 5 2 2 1 5 0 Isaiah Lowe 1 1/3 3 4 3 1 1 1 Braian Salazar 0 2/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 Will Varmette 1 1 1 1 2 2 0 Luis Germán 0 1/3 3 4 4 2 0 0 C.J. Widger 0 2/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Storm Produces Just 2 Hits In Loss To Rawhide; Winyer Chourio K's 9 The Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm could muster only two hits as the host Visalia Rawhide pulled out a 4-2 victory. Storm right-handed starter Winyer Chourio went 4⅔ innings and allowed four runs on five hits with three walks and nine strikeouts. His nine K's come a week after striking out a career-high 10 against Rancho Cucamonga and has 51 in 30⅔ innings this year. He gave up a run in the second inning, two in the fourth and one in the fifth before exiting. Jose Verdugo and Kerrington Cross accounted for both Storm hits. Verdugo had a fifth-inning single and Cross had a two-out single in the sixth. The Storm scored both of its runs in the fifth. Cross, named the California League Player of the Week, and Truitt Madonna drew leadoff walks and pulled a one-out double steal. Verdugo then lined an opposite-field single to right to bring both home, pulling the Storm within 3-2. Visalia would tack on a run in the bottom of the fifth. Storm right-hander Nick Falter pitched two hitless innings, but walked three and struck out three, while right-hander Vicarte Domingo got the final four outs, striking out three and allowing a hit. LE_0519.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Bradley Frye 4 0 0 0 0 1 Ty Harvey 3 0 0 0 1 2 Ryan Wideman 4 0 0 0 0 1 Kerrington Cross 3 1 1 0 1 1 Truitt Madonna 1 1 0 0 3 1 Jorge Quintana 4 0 0 0 0 2 Jose Verdugo 4 0 1 2 0 1 George Bilecki 2 0 0 0 0 0 Qrey Lott 1 0 0 0 0 0 Conner Westenburg 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Winyer Chourio 4 2/3 5 4 4 3 9 1 Nick Falter 2 0 0 0 3 3 0 Vicarte Domingo 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 3 0 Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, R Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: ⅔ IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: 0-for-4, K Jorge Quintana: 0-for-4, 2 K Ty Harvey: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K Kale Fountain: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, R, 2 K Lamar King Jr.: 0-for-4 Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-5, 2B, K Truitt Madonna: 0-for-1, 3 BB, R, SB, K Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: 1⅓ IP, H, R, ER, BB, K Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, 2 BB Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View full article

Checking in on the San Diego Padres prospects who made a mark in the last week: Kash Mayfield, LHP, High-A Fort Wayne Season stats: 3-1, 1.52 ERA, 7 games (all starts), 29⅔ IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 13 BB, 35 K, Just a few months after turning 21 years old, the 2024 first-round draft choice (25th overall) out of Elk City High School in Oklahoma is seeing his star rise in the early stages of 2026. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound left-hander allowed one hit and struck out a career-high nine with no walks over five shutout innings as the Fort Wayne TinCaps beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 12-3 Friday. He threw just 56 pitches, including 43 strikes. Mayfield hasn't allowed a run in five of his seven starts this year and currently has a 12-inning scoreless streak. If that sounds like a remarkable performance, it is. The only thing is that Mayfield has three other five-inning, one-hit outings this year, which have contributed to his 1.52 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 0.99 opponent batting average, all of which lead the Midwest League. His latest outing earned Mayfield, Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect, the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week award. Against the Kernels, Mayfield retired the first 13 batters of the game and struck out nine of the 16 batters he faced. He also induced 16 swinging strikes. He has a 32.7% strikeout rate and 12.1% walk rate. Of his 13 walks, five came in one game. The MLB averages for both are 22.2% and 8.6%. Mayfield has also excelled at limiting contact. While his four-seamer velocity is low (91 mph range), his ability to locate the ball, along with an excellent slider and changeup, helps with the strikeout and contact success. In his seven starts, he has allowed three hits twice. In the other five, Mayfield allowed one hit in three and no hits in the other two, with both of those coming in his first two starts of the season. In his pro debut last year at Low-A Lake Elsinore, Mayfield made 19 starts and had a 2.97 ERA in 60⅔ innings. He had a 34.1% strikeout rate and 10.9% walk rate. Mayfield's domination, thanks to his ability to pitch and not just throw the ball past hitters, at High-A could lead to a quick promotion to Double-A San Antonio, where he could work with catcher Ethan Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect. Not that he isn't working with a good catcher currently (see next item). Lamar King Jr., C, High-A Fort Wayne Season stats: .278/.399/.400, 34 games, 6 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 20 BB, 29 K, 8 SB, 1 CS The fourth-round draft pick in 2022 out of Calvert Hall College High School in Maryland has been an on-base machine. The right-handed hitter, son of former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Lamar King, currently has a 27-game on-base streak going, needing an infield single in the ninth inning Saturday to keep that streak alive. Over five games last week against the Kernels, King had three straight multi-hit games and went a combined 7-for-22 with three RBIs. While King—Padres Mission's No. 10 prospect—only drew one walk last week, he has 10 already in May after having 10 through the entire month of April, which has helped build a very nice .399 on-base percentage. After going 0-for-3 Tuesday, King went 2-for-5 in each of his next three games, scoring a run each game. He hit his first triple of the season Wednesday. His three multi-hit games last week gave him eight for the season. Since April 14, King ranks fifth in the Midwest League with a .341 batting average and 10th with a .434 OBP. King's pro debut was delayed until late 2024 by shoulder surgery. He played in 62 games between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A Lake Elsinore, putting up a .271/.379/.421 slash line with two homers and 32 RBIs. He spent 84 games back at Lake Elsinore in 2025 and was a bit better offensively, registering a slash line of .286/.370/.408 with four homers, 37 homers and 18 stolen bases. That earned him a promotion to Fort Wayne, where he appeared in 34 games with a .233/.289/.300. He didn't homer and drove in seven with three steals. That led him to a return to the TinCaps this year and he is thriving. His hit tool has developed quite a bit since being drafted, while the power has yet to follow. King has just two homers this year to go along with six doubles and that triple. He figures to stay at Fort Wayne until at least Salas is promoted to Triple-A, depending on how the Padres see his progress behind the plate. His shoulder injury has some seeing him moving to first base. Jesus Castro, RHP, Low-A Lake Elsinore Season stats: 0-1, 3.55 ERA, 6 games (all starts), 25⅓ IP, 26 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 10 BB, 25 K Just a few weeks shy of turning 19, the right-handed starter turned in his best performance of the season in the Storm's 4-0 shutout of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Castro struck out a career-high nine while going 5⅔ innings for the second consecutive start. His nine strikeouts were two better than his previous game and one more than he had last year in a Dominican Summer League game that was his previous career best. The younger brother of another Padres pitching prospect, San Antonio Missions right-hander Manuel Castro, hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his six starts this year and blanked the Quakes despite allowing a season-high seven hits. He also fell an out shy of matching his career high for innings (six), which he did twice last year in the DSL. While he has walked 10, four of those came in a single game. He didn't walk anyone in his previous start. Castro hasn't popped up on national top-30 lists for the Padres, but could by the end of the year if he continues these types of performances. Kerrington Cross, 1B-3B, Low-A Lake Elsinore Season stats: .288/.464/.507, 29 games, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 21 BB, 22 K, 3 SB, 0 CS Back for a second stint with the Storm after a 14-game cameo in his pro debut a year ago, the 24-year-old was the Padres' seventh-round draft choice in 2025 out of Cincinnati. He has been in the middle of a fun Storm offense and last week went 8-for-17 with three doubles, a homer and eight RBIs. He also drew six walks. His best game against the Quakes was Friday, when he came off the bench and went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer in a 14-0 victory. Cross also had the tie-breaking two-run double in Saturday's 4-2 win. The Honolulu native posted a .190/.433/.214 slash line in his brief time with Lake Elsinore last year, but that has changed in a big way this time around. He has shown an ability to get on base as he drew 14 walks last year and has 21 in 29 games this year. He spent all four years in college at Cincinnati, putting up a .396/.526/.647 slash line as a senior with 12 homers, 50 RBIs and 15 steals in 56 games and was named Big 12 Conference Player of the Year. During his career with the Bearcats, he finished third in runs scored and fourth in hits, homers and triples, while winding up fifth in RBIs. The positional versatility on the infield corners should serve him well, but he will have to continue to hit in order to keep progressing in the system. A move to the outfield, at least to increase his defensive value, isn't out of the question, either. Victor Lizarraga, RHP, Double-A San Antonio Season stats: 2-4, 6.37 ERA, 8 games (6 starts), 29⅔ IP, 29 H, 24 R, 21 ER, 3 HR, 20 BB, 24 K The 22-year-old right-hander was born in San Diego but signed with the Padres in 2021 as an international free agent out of Mexico. He climbed the system to reach Double-A San Antonio as a 20-year-old in 2024, but has stayed with the Missions each of the next two years. His 2026 got off to a rocky start as he allowed seven runs while getting just one out in his second start of the season, then followed that with six runs in 1⅓ innings. But since then, he has been much better. That includes his start Saturday against the Wichita Wind Surge in which he went six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with no walks and a season-high eight strikeouts, just two K's shy of his career high set in 2024 with the Missions. Lizarraga has had an issue with control as shown by his 20 walks (14.8% walk rate) this year and five hit batters while not having big strikeout stuff. This start followed two appearances out of the bullpen the previous week against the Midland RockHounds in which he pitched a total of eight innings, allowing one run on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. In his last five games, he has allowed a much-improve .225 opponent batting average (.271 for the season). Perhaps those relief outings against the RockHounds could be a sign of a better role for him down the line if his numbers as a starter don't improve. View full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 4-2 Runs scored last week: 25 Runs allowed last week: 21 Standings Scores Off Game 41 (Tuesday): Brewers 6, Padres 4 Game 42 (Wednesday): Padres 3, Brewers 1 Game 43 (Thursday): Brewers 7, Padres 1 Game 44 (Friday): Padres 2, Mariners 0 Game 45 (Saturday): Padres 7, Mariners 4 Game 46 (Sunday): Padres 8, Mariners 3 Week in Review and Highlights Brewers series Game 1: It what could very well be his last game in a Padres uniform, right-hander Matt Waldron didn't make a very strong statement to keep him around. In fact, it was just the opposite. Waldron coughed up six runs in 2⅔ innings as the Padres fell to the Milwaukee Brewers 6-4. With Lucas Giolito set to join the roster this weekend, Waldron is the easy choice to be replaced in the rotation. In five games, including three starts and following an opener the last two outings, Waldron has amassed a 9.28 ERA. Waldron has no minor-league options remaining, which means he is likely to be designated for assignment and potentially be claimed by another team. He could stick around if he goes unclaimed and accepts being outrighted to the minors. Coming in after right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez served as his opener again, Waldron pitched a scoreless second and gave up a run in the third on a rare Joey Ortiz homer. But it was the fourth inning where Waldron came undone. After the Friars took a 2-1 lead in the top half on a two-run Nick Castellanos single, the Brewers pieced together a five-run outburst via hard hits, soft hits, a walk and pressuring Waldron into a fielding faux pas en route to a 6-2 lead. Meanwhile, the Padres' bats were kept off-balance by Brewers rookie right-hander Brandon Sproat, who allowed three runs on six hits in 5⅓ innings, striking out six and walking two. Sproat was lifted after giving up a solo homer to Miguel Andujar, his third of the season, and a single to Xander Bogaerts. The Padres put together a rally in the eighth inning as Fernando Tatis Jr. had a leadoff single and went to second on a wild pitch. One out later, Andujar doubled home Tatis, but Bogaerts and Ty France struck out to and the threat. Game 2: For the second time in three games, the Padres entered the ninth inning with zero runs. And for the second time in three games, the Padres were victorious because of ninth-inning rallies. After scoring twice in the bottom of the ninth Sunday and winning in the 10th vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, the Padres turned to late-inning hero Gavin Sheets once again and he delivered a dramatic three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth for a 3-1 victory. For Sheets, it was his third homer in the ninth inning of at least three runs that put his team ahead. There have only been a total of four in all of MLB, including Sheets' trio. It was the 13th comeback win in 42 games, including an MLB-best five from a deficit of four or more runs, and 25th win of the season, keeping the Friars atop the NL West. In the ninth, Tatis and Manny Machado were retired by Brewers closer Abner Uribe to begin the frame. Andujar got things going with a single to center and was replaced by pinch-runner Bryce Johnson. Bogaerts drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch, bringing up Sheets, who went out an got an 87.6 mph slider on the outside corner and at the top of the zone, yanking it into the right-field stands for the go-ahead homer and his sixth blast of the year. The Padres have scored 38 runs in the ninth inning or later, the most in MLB. Before the ninth, it was a pitching duel. Michael King kept the Brewers off the board until an RBI groundout in the fifth inning. King would finish with 5⅔ innings, allowing six hits and two runs with five strikeouts. It was King's fifth start this year (nine total) of allowing one or fewer runs. But as good as King was, Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski was even better. The flamethrower struck out 10 in seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits. Misiorowski threw 40 pitches at more than 100 mph. Sheets' blast gave Mason Miller a save opportunity. Following scoreless outings by right-handers Jeremiah Estrada and Jason Adam, Miller gave up a hit, but struck out two to secure his 13th save in as many chances. Game 3: The Padres have come back so many times this season that when the Friars fell behind 6-0 after two innings in the series finale, you had to think there was plenty of time to erase that deficit. But not on this occasion. Right-handed starter Griffin Canning struggled for the first time in his three starts since joining the Padres, who dropped the series with a 7-1 setback. Canning only got five outs and allowed six runs to the Brewers, who like to nickel-and-dime teams to death. Canning, who threw 43 pitches in the first inning, walked four and gave up five hits, while notching a pair of strikeouts. That put the onus on the bullpen, which once again came through, but could use a few quality starts from the rotation. Included in that bullpen effort was a surprise appearance by Waldron, the starter just two days prior. Waldron allowed one hit and struck out four in two scoreless innings. Manager Craig Stammen said postgame that Waldron would be joining the bullpen this weekend for the Mariners series, giving the relievers another multi-inning arm. Meanwhile, the Padres' offense was stifled again. Left-hander Kyle Harrison spun five shutout innings, striking out seven with no walks and five hits. The Padres couldn't break into the scoring column until the ninth inning. Castellanos reached on a one-out error by the first baseman, went to second on Freddy Fermin's single and to third on Johnson's walk that loaded the bases. Sung-Mun Song hit an RBI grounder to short, easily beating the relay to first to prevent a game-ending double play. Mariners series Game 1: The evolution of Randy Vasquez from questionable back-end starter to an extremely reliable No. 3-type took another big step. The right-hander turned in his third shutout outing, allowing four hits and striking out three while not issuing a walk paved the way for a 2-0 victory to open the second leg of the Vedder Cup. The Padres improved to 8-1 in Vasquez starts as he lowered his ERA to 2.68 (3.30 FIP). This one got at little sticky at the end. After a scoreless seventh from left-hander Adrian Morejon, Adam came on for the eighth with a 2-0 lead. After a strikeout, Morejon gave up a single to Brendan Donovan and a walk to Julio Rodriguez before Josh Naylor flew out to center. With Randy Arozarena due up, Stammen summoned Miller for a four-out save. Arozarena reached on an infield single when he threw the bat at one of Miller's wicked sliders and the bat shattered into a gazillion pieces as no play was able to be made on the ball, loading the bases. But Miller escaped by winning a seven-pitch battle with Connor Joe, who looked at a center-cut slider for strike three to end the eighth. In the ninth, Miller walked J.P. Crawford on five pitches and struck our Rob Refsnyder on six pitches. Cole Young singled Crawford to second before Miller struck out Mitch Garver and Donovan to end the inning. It was Miller's third four-out save of the season and second in six days. Offense is always at a premium when playing at T-Mobile Park and this day was no exception. Andujar continued his recent hot run in the fourth when he doubled home Sheets, who had walked with one out stole second with two outs. Andujar was in the middle of things in the seventh, too. He had a one-out single and moved to third on Laureano's single, with Song driving him in with a groundout to first. Three of the Padres' four shutouts this year have come in Vasquez starts. The victory also clinched the Vedder Cup for the Padres, who swept the Mariners in the earlier series. Game 2: The Rodolfo Duran game. After spending 11 seasons in the minor leagues, Duran finally got a call-up May 7, but had yet to get a hit. That changed in his fourth game and in his 11th plate appearance when he not only got his first MLB hit, but he did it by smacking a first-pitch fastball for a two-run homer in the seventh inning that helped the Padres to a 7-4 triumph. Duran has hit 81 homers in 631 career minor-league games, including 20 at Triple-A El Paso as he has spent the last two seasons in the Padres' organization. Now he has one in the majors, coming on national television, after lining one out to left off right-handed starter Logan Gilbert. He should have had a second, but his ninth-inning drive to center was snared by Julio Rodriguez, who reached over the wall to bring it back. Duran's blast was the third by the Friars in the game. Sheets hit a solo shot in the second inning, his seventh this year, while Castellanos drilled a three-run homer in a four-run fourth. It was Castellanos' third homer of the season and second in his last five games, with this one putting the Padres up 5-0. Andujar drove in a run with an RBI groundout following walks to Machado and Sheets and a single by Bogaerts. Padres right-handed starter Walker Buehler was solid and threw a season-high 101 pitches to make it through five innings. He surrendered two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. He gave up an RBI single in the fourth and Crawford's solo homer in the fifth. Five relievers were needed to finish this one out, with right-hander Alek Jacob, called up Friday, when Waldron went on the 15-day injured list, providing the only blemish by allowing two runs without getting an out in the eighth. That made it a 7-4 game. With Miller unavailable, Stammen turned to Estrada to get the save, which he did despite giving up a single and a walk. That was Estrada's five career save and gave the Padres a series win in Seattle for the first time since 2018. Game 3: Lucas Giolito's much-anticipated debut went about as well as he could have imagined, albeit the finish could have been better. And thanks to two more Sheets homers, it was a victorious first game with the Padres, too. Giolito took a shutout into the sixth inning and Sheets went 3-for-3 and drove in four as the Padres swept the Mariners for the second time with an 8-3 win in the finale of this year's Vedder Cup. Giolito allowed just one hit in five-plus innings, striking out three, but he walked three straight to open the sixth inning to end his day. He threw 78 pitches, 44 for strikes, and looked in control until the sixth. After walking the bases loaded, left-hander Yuki Matsui came on to face Josh Naylor, a left-handed hitter whom he walked to trim the Padres' lead to 7-1. Two sacrifice flies followed, meaning all three of Giolito's runners that Matsui inherited scored. Meanwhile, thanks to Sheets, the Friars had a big offensive day against an ace-quality opponent. Sheets cranked a solo homer against Mariners right-hander George Kirby with two outs in the first, then a two-run shot in a five-run sixth inning as the Padres took a 7-0 lead. France, who has a team-high nine homers, had an RBI single in the fifth, with Merrill an run-scoring double and France another single to bring home the final two in the top of the sixth. After the Mariners got their three runs in the bottom of the sixth, Sheets got one back when he rifled an RBI double down the right-field line to score Tatis, who hit leadoff in this game. Sheets was on base in all five plate appearances as he also drew a pair of walks. Now the Padres have their first series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, separated by just half a game atop the NL West standings. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: Season stats: 20 games, 1-0, 14 saves in 14 chances, 0.86 ERA, 21 innings, 10 hits, two runs, six walks, 44 strikeouts. In May, has four saves with 15 of 17 outs via strikeout. Struck out the side seven times this year, including in five straight appearances. Random Stats Gavin Sheets became the first player in MLB history to hit a three-run homer or grand slam in the ninth inning to put his team ahead three times in a full season, according to OptaStats. The Padres are 13-5 this year in games decided by two runs or less. Miguel Andujar's double Friday vs. the Mariners was his ninth on the road this year, which were the second-most in MLB. He has only one double at home and leads the team with 10. Randy Vasquez is now tied with Michael King for the team lead in quality starts with four. Walker Buehler has the other two. Adrian Morejon has held left-handed hitters hitless in 13 of his last 14 appearances when facing at least one lefty hitter, including 0-for-16 in the last eight instances. Fernando Tatis Jr.'s season power outage reached 193 plate appearances. Only three other players with enough plate appearances to qualify for hitting leaders have yet to hit a homer: Nick Gonzales of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Nasim Nunez of the Washington Nationals and Luis Rengifo of the Milwaukee Brewers. Transactions Friday: Placed RHP Matt Waldron on the 15-day injured list with a right brachialis muscle injury. Friday: Recalled RHP Alek Jacob from Triple-A El Paso. Sunday: recalled RHP Lucas Giolito from Double-A San Antonio. Sunday: Optioned RHP Alek Jacob to Triple-A El Paso. Sunday: Sent RHP Jhony Brito on a rehab assignment to Double-A San Antonio. Website Highlights Bogaerts' improvements are the result of one hilariously simple root cause — Randy Holt Laureano suddenly can't turn left — N.B. Lindberg Is Salas suddenly an untouchable prospect again for the Padres? — Randy Holt Don't sleep on Miranda: Why the former top prospect is the ultimate Padres depth piece — Taylor Leonard What Andujar lacks in patience, he makes up for in contact — Tom Gatto Padres' farm system update: Breaking down Padres Mission's new Top 20 list — Steve Drumwright Looking Ahead Monday: Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto) at Padres (Michael King), 6:40 p.m. Tuesday: Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan) at Padres (Griffin Canning), 6:40 p.m. Wednesday: Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani) at Padres (Randy Vasquez), 5:40 p.m. Thursday: Off Friday: A's at Padres (German Marquez), 6:40 p.m. Saturday: A's at Padres (Lucas Giolito), 6:40 p.m. Sunday: A's at Padres (Michael King), 1:10 p.m. View full article

Justin DeCriscio launched a three-run homer and finished 3-for-6 with three RBIs as the Fort Wayne TinCaps held off Cedar Rapids 11-8, with Clay Edmondson collecting his eighth save over two innings. Ethan Routzahn worked three innings for a save of his own in El Paso's 12-7 win at Salt Lake, where Jase Bowen drove in four. Ethan Salas reached three times for San Antonio in a 6-3 win, while Ryan Wideman went 3-for-3 with a steal in Lake Elsinore's loss. Jase Bowen Comes Up Big As Chihuahuas Prevail Jase Bowen was on base four times and drove in four, including a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas scored 10 runs over the final four innings to pull out a 12-7 triumph over the host Salt Lake Bees. El Paso went 2-4 in the series. Marcos Castanon and Victor Duarte homered and had two hits, as did Samad Taylor, Nick Solak and Carlos Rodriguez for the Chihuahuas, who pounded out 16 hits. Castanon drove in three and Rodriguez and Duarte a pair. Rodriguez had a pair of doubles. Solak extended his on-base streak to 24 games. Duarte had just been promoted this week from Low-A Lake Elsinore. Trailing 1-0, Taylor and Will Wagner singled to open the fourth and Solak walked to load the bases before Bowen singled home a pair for a 2-1 Chihuahuas lead. Salt Lake tied it in the bottom of the fourth and scored four times in the fifth for a 6-2 advantage. El Paso began the comeback in the sixth. Solak had a leadoff single and Bowen walked before the next two batters were retired. Castanon came up with his fifth homer of the season to pull the Chihuahuas with 6-5. In the seventh, Taylor had a one-out walk and Solak singled before Bowen hit a liner to left-center for a double that scored both to take a 7-6 lead. Bowen was caught in a rundown heading to third after the ball was fumbled in the outfield. The Chihuahuas tacked on four runs in the eighth on as Jose Miranda and Rodriguez had RBI doubles and Duarte blasted his first homer at Triple-A, a two-run shot, to make it 11-6. Each team added a run in the ninth, with El Paso getting a Rodriguez run-scoring double. Chihuahuas right-hander Ethan Routzahn pitched the final three innings to pick up his second save of the series. EP_0517.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Samad Taylor 3 2 2 0 1 0 Will Wagner 5 1 1 0 0 1 Nick Solak 4 2 2 0 1 0 Jase Bowen 3 1 2 4 2 1 Mason McCoy 5 1 1 0 0 0 Jose Miranda 4 0 1 1 0 1 Clay Dungan 1 2 1 0 0 0 Marcos Castanon 5 1 2 3 0 1 Carlos Rodriguez 5 1 2 2 0 0 Victor Duarte 5 1 2 2 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Marco Gonzales 3 1/3 6 2 2 1 2 1 Misael Tamarez 1 1/3 2 4 4 2 1 0 Logan Gillaspie 1/3 1 0 0 1 0 0 Sean Boyle 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ethan Routzahn 3 2 1 1 2 2 0 Jhony Brito Stellar In First Game Since Surgery In Missions' Loss San Diego Padres right-hander Jhony Brito made his first appearance in a game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2025 and turned in a very positive performance. Brito didn't allow an earned run in four innings of the host Double-A San Antonio Missions' 6-3 loss to the Wichita Wind Surge. The teams split the six-game series. Brito only allowed two hits and did give up two unearned runs thanks to some poor Missions defense, but he did walk two and struck out one in his 53-pitch performance that included 29 strikes. Both hits Brito gave up came to the second and third hitters he faced. The No. 2 hitter doubled and the No. 3 hitter singled, with the runner being thrown out at the plate. Brito settled in and retired the next eight batters before giving up back-to-back one-out walks. After another out, Brito looked to be getting out of the mess but a throwing error by shortstop Francisco Acuna allowed a run to score and kept the inning alive. Brito then made an errant pickoff attempt, allowing the second run to score. That erased what had been a 2-0 lead that the Missions took in the bottom of the first. Ethan Salas had a leadoff single and Braedon Karpathios' one-out single moved him to third. Back-to-back walks to Tirso Ornelas and Romeo Sanabria and a wild pitch brought in the two runs. After the Wind Surge tied the game, the Missions retook the lead in the fifth. Salas again had a leadoff single and then stole second, his ninth steal of the year. An errant pickoff attempt put Salas at third and he came home on Kai Roberts' single to right. It stayed 3-2 until the eighth, when the Wind Surge got a leadoff homer, a walk and an RBI double to grab a 4-3 lead. In the ninth, the Wind Surge added two more thanks to no hits and two walks, with both runs scoring on a Salas throwing error to third base on a double steal. Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, and Roberts each had two hits, with Salas scoring twice and Roberts also drawing a walk and driving in a run. SA_0517.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ethan Salas 5 2 2 0 0 1 Kai Roberts 3 0 2 1 1 1 Braedon Karpathios 5 1 1 0 0 3 Tirso Ornelas 3 0 1 0 1 0 Romeo Sanabria 3 0 1 1 1 2 Carson Tucker 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ryan Jackson 4 0 0 0 0 1 Francisco Acuna 3 0 0 0 1 0 Luis Verdugo 4 0 1 0 0 1 Kai Murphy 3 0 1 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jhony Brito 4 2 2 0 2 1 0 Michael Flynn 2 0 0 0 1 3 0 Andrew Thurman 1 2/3 2 2 2 3 1 1 Andrew Moore 1 1/3 0 2 1 3 2 0 Newcomer Justin DeCriscio Sparks TinCaps To Win, Series Split Justin DeCriscio had three hits—including his first High-A homer, a three-run shot—as the Fort Wayne TinCaps notched an 11-8 victory over the host Cedar Rapids Kernels to earn a split of the six-game series. Jack Costello and Oswaldo Linares each had a pair of hits, with Linares also driving in two runs and scoring once and Costello scoring twice and driving in one. Kasen Wells drew three walks and singled, scoring twice. Kavares Tears had a double and a walk with two RBIs. Just promoted from Low-A Lake Elsinore to Fort Wayne at the beginning of the week, was 1-for-12 in the series before erupting for his big game out of the leadoff spot. He singled to begin the game and came around to score on a Tears sacrifice fly. A five-run TinCaps second inning featured a run-scoring wild pitch before DeCriscio's three-run blast restored the lead at 5-2. He hit three homers in 28 games at Lake Elsinore. Tears added his RBI double in the frame. Cedar Rapids scored once in the bottom of the second to make it 6-3, then rallied for four runs in the fourth to go up 7-6. But Fort Wayne came back in the fifth and sixth innings to take control. In the fifth, Costello tripled and scored on Zach Evans' sac fly to tie it. Wells walked and stole second before going to third on a flyout and coming home on Jonathan Vastine's go-ahead single. Rosman Verdugo and Tears sandwiched walks around a strikeout to begin the sixth, then Costello doubled home Verdugo. A fielder's choice and a walk preceded Linares singling home a pair for an 11-7 lead. TinCaps left-handed starter Jamie Hitt gave up seven runs (six earned) in five innings. Right-handed closer Clay Edmondson pitched the final two innings, including coming into the eighth with the bases loaded and only allowing one run to score, to pick up his eighth save, which leads all of Minor League Baseball. FW_0517.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 6 2 3 3 0 0 Rosman Verdugo 3 2 1 0 1 1 Jake Cunningham 5 0 0 0 0 4 Kavares Tears 3 0 1 2 1 2 Jack Costello 5 2 2 1 0 2 Zach Evans 4 2 1 1 0 0 Kasen Wells 2 2 1 0 3 1 Oswaldo Linares 4 1 2 2 0 0 Jonathan Vastine 5 0 1 1 0 4 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jamie Hitt 5 7 7 6 2 5 2 C.J. Widger 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Igor Gil 1 1 1 1 3 1 0 Clay Edmondson 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 Ryan Wideman Goes 3-for-3 With 29th Steal, But Storm Thumped The host Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm watched as the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes scored runs in the first five innings en route to a 16-7 victory. The Storm won four of the six games in the series. Ryan Wideman—Padres Mission's No. 5 prospect—went 3-for-3, including a double and a triple, with a walk and his 29th stolen base of the season for the Storm, while Kerrington Cross and Truitt Madonna each had a pair of hits, with Madonna and Yoiber Ocopio driving in a pair of runs. Ocopio, who just joined the team this week, hit his first homer. Rancho Cucamonga scored five times in the first, one each in the second and third and three each in the fourth and fifth innings to grab a 13-2 cushion. LE_0517.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Wideman 3 1 3 0 1 0 George Bilecki 0 1 0 0 1 0 Qrey Lott 4 0 0 0 0 2 Bradley Frye 4 1 1 1 0 2 Kerrington Cross 4 1 2 1 1 0 Truitt Madonna 3 1 2 2 1 0 Ty Harvey 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jorge Quintana 3 0 0 1 0 1 Jose Verdugo 2 0 0 0 0 1 Conner Westenburg 4 1 1 0 0 1 Yoiber Ocopio 3 1 1 2 0 1 Dylan Grego 4 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Carlos Medina 2/3 4 5 5 2 0 1 Rordy Mejia 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 Daichi Moriki 2/3 0 3 3 3 1 0 Brandon Langley 1 1/3 4 3 2 1 1 1 Sean Barnett 2 1/3 2 0 0 1 2 0 Cal Riehl 1 2 3 3 2 2 0 Kerrington Cross 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Padres Transactions Padres sent RHP Jhony Brito on a rehab assignment to San Antonio Missions. Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 K, 1 SB Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: 3-for-3, 2B, 3B, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB Jorge Quintana: 0-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 K Ty Harvey: 0-for-0, 1 BB Kale Fountain: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 1-for-5, 1 R, 3 K Lamar King Jr.: DNP Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: DNP Truitt Madonna: 2-for-3, 2B, 3B, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View full article

The Lucas Giolito era with the San Diego Padres is here. The Padres called up Giolito, a right-handed starter, from Double-A San Antonio to make his season debut with Sunday's start vs. the Seattle Mariners. Right-hander Alek Jacob was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to make room. Giolito was already on the Padres' 40-man roster after signing with the team April 22 for one year and $2.8 million. Since Giolito was not injured, he was optioned to the minors to get ready to join the rotation. Also, right-hander Jhony Brito began a rehab assignment at Double-A. The 31-year-old Giolito was the last of the major free agents from the offseason to sign and joins a Padres rotation that needs an upgrade. Following the injuries and setbacks to right-handers Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove, the Friars have mostly done fine in muddling through the first quarter of the season, but Giolito brings quality to the rotation. With the Boston Red Sox last season, Giolito posted a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts and 141 innings in which he had a 9.1% walk rate and 19.7% strikeout rate. Giolito missed all of the 2024 season following Tommy John surgery and didn't make his season debut until the end of April The Padres also had right-hander Matt Waldron go on the 15-day IL Friday with a right brachialis muscle injury. Waldron apparently had been dealing with the injury for the last few weeks but did not tell the team about it with his roster spot in jeopardy. Waldron replaced Pivetta, the Opening Day starter, in the rotation. Giolito made four starts in the minors, two with Low-A Lake Elsinore and two with Double-A San Antonio. Between the four, he pitched 17 innings and had a 4.76 ERA, allowing 11 runs (nine earned) on 18 hits with six walks and 18 strikeouts. Jacob came up Friday and pitched in Saturday's 7-4 victory over the Mariners, allowing two runs without recording an out. It was his second one-game call-up this year. View full rumor

Tyler Schmitt held Rancho Cucamonga to two runs over 5⅔ innings as Lake Elsinore beat the Quakes 4-2, the only Padres affiliate to win Saturday. Victor Lizarraga turned in a six-inning, eight-strikeout quality start for San Antonio, but the Missions fell 5-2 to Wichita. Evan Fitterer also delivered a quality start in El Paso's 5-4 walk-off loss to the Salt Lake Bees. Rosman Verdugo homered for Fort Wayne in a 7-4 setback to Cedar Rapids. Padres Minor-League Transactions RHP Clark Candiotti assigned to San Antonio Missions from Fort Wayne TinCaps. Fort Wayne TinCaps sent RHP Jeferson Villabona on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres. Chihuahuas Rally Late, But Get Walked Off By Bees Despite a standout start from right-hander Evan Fitterer, the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas watched as the host Salt Lake Bees pulled out a 5-4 walk-off victory. The Chihuahuas held a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the eighth inning. Jose Miranda went 3-for-4, while Samad Taylor, Nick Solak and Jase Bowen each had a pair of hits for the Chihuahuas, who outhit the Bees 12-8. All but two of El Paso's hits were singles. Taylor opened the game with a single to left and stole second before taking third on a flyout and scoring on a Solak single. The Chihuahuas made it 2-0 in the top of the third as Solak, Bowen and Mason McCoy had one-out singles to load the bases. Nick Schnell hit a grounder into the hole between second and first that the second baseman fielded near the outfield grass and spun to throw out McCoy at second as Solak scored. The shortstop pumped but didn't throw to first, then saw Bowen trying to score from second and threw home to nail him at the plate for a 4-6-2 double play to end the inning. Fitterer, meanwhile, was in the midst of six strong innings, allowing one run on three hits with two walks and a strikeout. His six innings matched the longest start by a Chihuahuas pitcher this year. But left-hander Kyle Hart got into trouble in the eighth, exiting with runners on first and third and one out. Right-hander David Morgan came in and immediately gave up a two-run double and a two-out RBI single for a 4-2 lead. The Chihuahuas tied it in the top of the ninth. Marcos Castanon had a leadoff single and went to third on Miranda's double. Carlos Rodriguez singled home Castanon, with pinch-runner Clay Dungan moving to third. After a strikeout, Taylor hit a dribbler out in front of the home plate that the catcher fielded and could only throw to first as Dungan scored. The Bees won it in the bottom of the ninth on a one-out double and a two-out RBI single. EP_0516.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Samad Taylor 5 1 2 1 0 0 Will Wagner 5 0 0 0 0 2 Nick Solak 4 1 2 1 0 2 Jase Bowen 4 0 2 0 0 2 Mason McCoy 3 0 1 0 1 1 Nick Schnell 3 0 0 1 0 1 Marcos Castañon 1 1 1 0 0 0 Jose Miranda 4 0 3 0 0 0 Clay Dungan 0 1 0 0 0 0 Carlos Rodríguez 3 0 1 1 1 0 Anthony Vilar 4 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Evan Fitterer 6 3 1 1 2 1 0 Kyle Hart 1 1/3 1 2 2 2 3 0 David Morgan 1 1/3 4 2 2 0 3 0 Victor Lizzaraga K's 8, but Missions Can't Slow Wind Surge Right-hander Victor Lizzaraga struck out eight over six innings, but a three-run seventh inning proved too much to overcome as the host Double-A San Antonio Missions fell 5-2 to the Wichita Wind Surge. Lazzaraga gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits and didn't walk anyone. Both runs came in the fifth inning on a solo homer and a throwing error by shortstop Carson Tucker. San Antonio grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning as Tucker singled, stole second and went to third on an Ethan Salas groundout. Romeo Sanabria followed with a run-scoring single to right. After Lazzaraga gave up the two runs in the top of the fifth, the Wind Surge added three runs in the seventh. The Missions came back in the eighth as Tucker again singled, stole second and went to third on a throwing error by the pitcher. Salas followed with an RBI groundout. Sanabria walked and Francisco Acuna drew a two-out walk, but Braedon Karpathios struck out to end the threat. SA_0516.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 5 2 2 0 0 2 Ethan Salas 4 0 0 1 0 1 Romeo Sanabria 3 0 1 1 1 0 Albert Fabian 3 0 1 0 1 0 Francisco Acuna 1 0 0 0 3 0 Braedon Karpathios 4 0 0 0 0 2 Ryan Jackson 3 0 0 0 1 0 Kai Roberts 3 0 1 0 0 1 Tirso Ornelas 1 0 0 0 0 0 Chris Sargent 4 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Victor Lizarraga 6 6 2 1 0 8 1 Johan Moreno 1 4 3 3 1 1 1 Clark Candiotti 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 Rosman Verdugo Homers Again, But TinCaps Fall To Kernels The High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps couldn't dig themselves out of an early hole and dropped a 7-4 decision to the host Cedar Rapids Kernels. Cedar Rapids scored twice in the first, second and fourth innings to grab a 6-0 lead. Rosman Verdugo homered for the second day in a row, while Lamar King Jr. needed a ninth-inning infield single to extend his on-base streak to 27 games, the longest for a TinCap since Tirso Ornelas also had 27 in 2018. Verdugo hit his seventh homer of the season, a two-run shot, in the sixth after Justin DeCriscio was hit by a pitch to pull the TinCaps within 6-2. But the Kernels got a run back in the bottom of the sixth to go up 7-2. The TinCaps had one last rally in the ninth. Carlos E. Rodriguez singled and went to second on a throwing error by the third baseman, then took third on a wild pitch. Alex McCoy struck out and King hit a chopper to third base that couldn't be fielded cleanly and went for a hit, scoring Rodriguez. A passed ball put King on second base and a two-out single by Zach Evans moved King to third before Kavares Tears delivered an RBI single that ricocheted off the pitcher. But the TinCaps couldn't keep the rally going. TinCaps starter Abraham Parra gave up those first six runs in 3⅓ innings. FW_0516.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 3 1 0 0 0 0 Rosman Verdugo 4 1 1 2 0 2 Carlos Rodriguez 4 1 1 0 0 2 Alex McCoy 4 0 0 0 0 3 Lamar King Jr. 4 1 1 1 0 1 Jake Cunningham 4 0 1 0 0 3 Zach Evans 4 0 2 0 0 0 Kavares Tears 4 0 2 1 0 0 Kasen Wells 3 0 0 0 0 0 Jack Costello 1 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Abraham Parra 3 1/3 7 6 6 2 4 0 Kleiber Olmedo 2 2 1 1 2 1 0 Javier Chacon 2 2/3 1 0 0 0 4 0 Tyler Schmitt Stellar Again, Kerrington Cross Delivers For Storm Kerrington Cross had a tiebreaking two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning as the host Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm turned back the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 4-2. Truitt Madonna also drove in a pair of runs, while right-handed starter Tyler Schmitt gave up a pair of runs in 5⅔ innings as the Storm, who lead the California League's South Division, won for the fourth time in five games. Bradley Frye, Ty Harvey and George Bilecki each had two hits for the Storm. Schmitt was coming off two straight shutout performances of five and six innings. He allowed just one hit in five shutout innings to begin his outing vs. the Quakes to make it 16⅓ scoreless innings. In the sixth, he walked the leadoff hitter, then gave up a two-run homer to tie the game 2-2. Schmitt would get two more outs before needing to be relieved. He finished with three hits allowed and two walks with five strikeouts. The Storm scored twice in the bottom of the first. Frye and Harvey led off the inning with singles, with Frye taking third, before the next two batters flew out. Harvey stole second, then Madonna laced a double to left for a 2-0 lead. After the Quakes tied it in the sixth, the Storm came back in the seventh. Frye had an infield single and stole second, with Harvey walking. With one out, Harvey stole second, then Cross hit an opposite-field liner that short-hopped the wall in right field to easily score the two go-ahead runs. Right-hander Carson Swilling pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings after Schmitt exited and right-hander Will Koger earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth. LE_0516.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Bradley Frye 5 2 2 0 0 1 Ty Harvey 3 2 2 0 1 1 Ryan Wideman 4 0 0 0 0 0 Kerrington Cross 3 0 1 2 1 0 Truitt Madonna 3 0 1 2 1 2 Jorge Quintana 2 0 0 0 2 2 Jose Verdugo 4 0 0 0 0 1 George Bilecki 4 0 2 0 0 2 Conner Westenburg 4 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tyler Schmitt 5 2/3 3 2 2 2 5 1 Carson Swilling 2 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Will Koger 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 0-for-4, RBI, K Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ryan Wideman: 0-for-4 Jorge Quintana: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K Ty Harvey: 2-for-3, BB, 2 SB, K Kale Fountain: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 0-for-4, 2 K Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-4, RBI, K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 0-for-4, 3 K Truitt Madonna: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K Tucker Musgrove: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K Bryan Balzer: DNP Deivid Coronil: DNP View full article

It is prospect update time here at Padres Mission and, boy, do we have some updates. Padres Mission Top 20 Prospects List (May 2026) Ethan Salas, C Kash Mayfield, LHP Miguel Mendez, RHP Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP Ryan Wideman, CF Jorge Quintana, SS Ty Harvey, C Kale Fountain, OF-1B Braedon Karpathios, OF Lamar King Jr., C Jagger Haynes, LHP Alex McCoy, OF Truitt Madonna, C Tucker Musgrove, RHP Garrett Hawkins, RHP Michael Salina, RHP Eric Yost, RHP Rosman Verdugo, SS Bryan Balzer, RHP Deivid Coronil, SS No, that doesn't mean that someone has supplanted catcher Ethan Salas as San Diego Padres' top prospect. He remains a clear No. 1, a position he has more than solidified with his start to the 2026 season. But there was movement among the Padres Mission's Top 20 prospects, which includes four new entries. Those players joining our list are outfielder Braedon Karpathios (No. 9), outfielder Alex McCoy (No. 12), right-handed reliever Tucker Musgrove (No. 14) and shortstop Rosman Verdugo (No. 18). Two other players previously ranked came back onto our list with right-handers Michael Salina (No. 16) and Bryan Balzer (No. 19). You can check out the previous scouting reports on Salina and Balzer. As far as movers, shortstop Jorge Quintana, acquired at the trade deadline last year from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Brandon Lockridge trade, jumped six spots to No. 6, while center fielder Ryan Wideman climbed four spots to No. 5 and catcher Truitt Madonna also went up four notches to No. 13. Right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez graduated from prospect status, while Humberto Cruz was dropped from the list following his recently reported legal issues. Let's take a deeper look at the newcomers: No. 9 Braedon Karpathios, OF, Double-A San Antonio Missions Bats-throws: Left-Left Age: 22 Acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent in 2022. The soon-to-be 23-year-old has been a developmental win for the Padres. Signed in 2022 as an undrafted free agent after one season as a two-way player at Hartford Community College in Maryland, Karpathios has been a solid if unspectacular contributor while in the Padres' system, but continues to climb the ladder. The biggest calling card for Karpathios (5-foot-11, 186 pounds) is his patience at the plate. While topping out at a .252 batting average in 2024 at Low-A Lake Elsinore, he has had walk totals of 44 in 42 games in 2023 at Lake Elsinore, 95 in 119 games in 2024 while playing a full year at Low-A and 73 in 124 games between High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio in 2025. That doesn't mean he doesn't swing and miss. While not chasing a great deal (19% chase rate), Karpathios struck out 145 times in 2024 and 146 times in 2025 as he has trouble against pitches that aren't fastballs. When he does make contact, he at least hits the ball hard. In 2025, Karpathios ranked in the 90th percentile in exit velocity at 105.8 mph, helping him nearly double his home run total from eight in 2024 to 15. He also has shown an ability to hit to all fields. Karpathios put together a .249/.357/.413 slash line last year. Karpathios was invited to the Arizona Fall League in 2025, where he had a .211/.333/.298 slash line with no homers and five RBIs. This year, Karpathios has a slash line of .217/.311/.357 through May 13, with two homers and 12 RBIs. He has 16 walks and 41 strikeouts in 33 games. While not blessed with speed, Karpathios has the ability to play all three outfield spots, but his strong arm—still around from his days as a pitcher—makes him best-suited for right. Karpathios will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason if the Padres don't put him on the 40-man roster. No. 12 Alex McCoy, OF, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps Bats-throws: Right-Right Age: 24 Acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent in 2024. After four years of college, no one took a chance on the well-built McCoy (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) in the 2024 draft, so the Padres pounced and signed him as an undrafted free agent. His 2021 season at Maryland-Eastern Shore was wiped out by the pandemic, but he showed an ability to hit the ball in 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Hofstra for his senior season, playing for former MLB infielder Frank Catalanotto. He hit .306 with 11 homers, 44 RBIs and 22 steals in 56 games. His hit tool has continued to shine since joining the Padres' organization. Making his debut in 2025 at Low-A Lake Elsinore, McCoy put together a season slash line of .315/.393/.521, hitting seven homers and driving in 40 while stealing 14 bases in 17 attempts over 58 games. His 2025 included a stint on the seven-day injured list as he dealt with hamstring and quad injuries, missing more than two months, and a brief rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League. Moving up to Fort Wayne this year, McCoy has kept chugging along. He has a .293/.359/.560 slash line following Wednesday's game with six homers, 17 RBIs and five steals in 32 games. McCoy hasn't unleashed his power yet, which might be the best in the Padres' system and reportedly reaching a peak exit velocity of 118 mph last year, but that could come as the season progresses. His hitting ability can be attributed to a short and controlled swing that allows him to attack pitches. McCoy had a 21-game on-base streak this season, which included a 15-game hitting streak. He was named the Midwest League Player of the Month for April with a .354/.386/.683 slash line. While McCoy's power ranks a 60 (well above average) on the 20-80 scouting scale, his running, throwing and fielding ability rank just below average. Left field is probably his best positional fit, but a move to first base is also possible. He played the position some in college. No. 14 Tucker Musgrove, RHP, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps Bats-throws: Right-Right Age: 24 Acquired: Seventh-round draft choice in 2023 out of University of Mobile (Ala.). After having Tommy John surgery following his selection by the Padres in the seventh round of the 2023 draft and missing all of 2024, the right-hander made his pro debut in late-April 2025. Armed with a triple-digit four-seam fastball and a sinker that sits in the 97-98 mph range, Musgrove is one of the arms to keep an eye on. He was drafted as a two-way player, but has since ditched the hitting part of that to focus on pitching. The Friars were very cautious with Musgrove's workload in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. He appeared in just 14 games, throwing 20 innings overall, going three innings just once and didn't have more than 43 pitches in any outing. In fact, only three of his appearances lasted more than 30 pitches. Still, he gave glimpses of what the Padres hoped they would be getting, as he struck out 26 in those 20 frames. The 6-foot-1, 174-pounder also has a sharp-breaking sweeper, as well as a slider and a curveball. He is looking to develop a changeup, too. He has nearly seven feet of extension, which gives hitters less time to figure out which pitch he is throwing and how to react. Musgrove has made nine appearances thus far in 2026, never throwing more than 34 pitches, with his longest outing 1⅔ innings. No. 18 Rosman Verdugo, 2B, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps Bats-throws: Right-Right Age: 21 Acquired: Signed as an international free agent in January 2022. The 21-year-old doesn't do anything that great, but he does a lot of things decently. The Padres have moved Verdugo off shortstop, playing him at second base this season after working mostly at third base in 2025. Both seasons have been spent at High-A Fort Wayne, which indicates that Verdugo isn't doing a lot to make himself noticed in the Padres' system. Since debuting as a 17-year-old in the Arizona Complex League, Verdugo has a .223/.329/.370 slash line with 38 homers and 206 RBIs. That includes a .218/.310/.376 slash line this year through Wednesday, with five homers and 15 RBIs in 29 RBIs. He doesn't steal much, either, with 15 of his 32 career thefts coming in 2022 with Lake Elsinore. He can draw walks, receiving a career-high 72 free passes in 2025, but he also strikes out a lot with a career-worst 158 last year. He has a short, compact swing that could produce more power—Verdugo had a career-high 13 in 2025—which would make his slash line a lot more palatable, but that power potential is dependent on improving his approach at the plate. Defensively, his arm strength is probably more suited for second base. Considering he is repeating a second full season at Fort Wayne, this feels like an important season as to whether Verdugo progresses in the system or stagnates. View full article