Steve Drumwright

Sometimes, it's nice to just have a little luck on your side. While it isn't luck that drove the San Diego Padres draft Jackson Merrill, the Friars were fortunate that the high school shortstop took to his new position so quickly. He was rewarded with a contract extension that could have him patrolling center at Petco Park through at least the 2034 season. However, coming off an injury-marred 2025 campaign, Merrill will have to show that last year was the aberration and he is more like the 2024 phenom who took the National League by storm. Padres Center Fielders At A Glance Starter: Jackson Merrill Backup: Bryce Johnson, Ramon Laureano Depth: Jase Bowen, Nick Schnell Prospects: Ryan Wideman, Braedon Karpathios Padres fWAR ranking last year: 10th out of 30. Padres fWAR projection this year: Third out of 30. The Good When the Padres took Merrill with the 27th pick in the 2021 draft out of a Maryland high school, they thought they had their shortstop of the future. What they didn't know was they were getting their center fielder of the future. It just so happened that the Friars had a need for a center fielder entering spring training in 2024 and decided to try their 20-year-old prospect in a tough defensive position he had never played before. From there, Merrill showed that he can play anywhere on the diamond. All he did was put up a .292/.326/.500 slash line with 24 homers, 90 RBIs and 16 steals in 156 games to finish as the runner-up to Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes for NL Rookie of the Year and won the NL Silver Slugger for center. He also finished ninth in NL MVP voting. But his 2025 campaign was most definitely not a repeat performance. He signed a nine-year, $135 million contract extension at the beginning of the season that begins in 2026. Then, the injuries hit. First, it was a strained hamstring in April that sidelined him for about a month. Then, it was a concussion in mid-June that kept him out the minimum seven days. Finally, a sprained left ankle and bone bruise put him out of action for 13 days. He still put up solid numbers, with a .264/.317/.457 slash line with 16 homers and 67 RBIs. Likewise, his defense was still really good. Merrill has good speed and can cover gap to gap with ease as well as with a strong arm, offering plenty of reasons for optimism after a health-rejuvenating offseason. The Bad That being said, you have to consider Merrill's injuries when looking at the downturn in his numbers. His hamstring and ankle injuries limited his running and the concussion can have any number of effects. Merrill attempted just three steals in the entire 2025 season and was successful just once. That came after 16 steals on 19 attempts as a rookie. The lack of steals could also be because he hit in the top half of the order in 2025, with probably too many games in the cleanup spot. As a rookie, he hit ninth a lot and mainly in the bottom half of the lineup. Responsibility is a key part of being a star, but perhaps it was a jump too far for someone who is still just 22 years old. His exit velocity only dropped from 90.4 mph to 89.7 from 2024 to 2025, but that sent him from the 70th percentile to the 46th. Merrill still chases too many pitches. with his 37.8% rate in 2025 sitting in the seventh percentile. He also struck out more, although his 22.4% rate is right at the MLB average. Injuries, pressure, and perhaps just an old fashioned sophomore slump caught up with him. The Bottom Line Merrill turns 23 in April and is still learning how to be an MLB player. But the talent is undeniable; he can be one of the best center fielders in the game with his combination of offense and defense. With the changes that are being contemplated to the Padres' top of the lineup, Merrill could be better served as a leadoff or No. 2 hitter, allowing his speed to became a bit more of a factor. Notching 20 steals should be easy for someone like Merrill, who should be a much better hitter this season than he was as a sophomore. A 20-homer, 20-steal season is very attainable, and he could challenge for 100 runs if he is ahead of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. in the lineup. If injuries hamper Merrill again, Bryce Johnson is a capable backup who had a breakthrough offensively in 2025, putting up a .342/.383/.434 slash line in 84 plate appearances. Ramon Laureano also has center field experience, as he showed in 14 games with the Padres after being acquired at the trade deadline. View full article

There is a new name in the bidding to purchase the San Diego Padres. Tom Gores, the owner of the NBA's Detroit Pistons and minority owner of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers, is leading a previously unreported group to purchase San Diego's MLB team, according to a report by The Athletic. The same report confirmed the leaders of the other three groups that are among the four finalists and matched previous speculation: Jose E. Feliciano, Dan Friedkin and Joe Lacob. The Athletic also confirmed previous reports that the Padres, owned by the Seidler family, are likely to fetch at least $3.5 billion in the sale, which would be a MLB record. Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets in 2020 for $2.42 billion, the current record for an baseball team. The report said a second round of bidding was due in mid-April. It is expected a decision on who the Seidler family will sell to will be made following those bids. Feliciano is the co-founder of Clearlake Capital, based in Santa Monica, and has ownership of the men's soccer team Chelsea in the English Premier League; Friedkin was born in San Diego and is the CEO of The Friedkin Group as well as ownership in two men's soccer teams (Everton in the EPL and Roma in Serie A); while Lacob is owner of the NBA's Golden State Warriors and the WNBA's Golden State Valkyries. But Gores jumps into the fray with the second-largest net worth of the four. The founder of Platinum Equity, a private-equity firm headquartered in Beverly Hills, has a net worth of $10.1 billion, according to Forbes, behind Friedkin's $10.7 billion. Gores became the Pistons' owner in 2011 and self-funded a new $90 million headquarters and training center. Gores and Platinum Equity bought the Pistons for $395 million, with Gores buying out his firm's share four years later to have 100% ownership. Platinum Equity oversees more than $50 billion in assets from 60 companies. Gores also pursued bringing a Major League Soccer team to Detroit, but that effort failed, at least for the moment. He purchased a 27% stake in the Chargers in 2024. In 2009, Gores purchased the San Diego Union-Tribune for a reported $30 million, then sold it two years later for $110 million. Gores lives in Beverly Hills, which would be key as the Seidler family is seeking someone who is local to sell the team to. All four finalists have SoCal ties, with some currently stronger than others. Peter Seidler, who died in November 2024, and Ron Fowler led the group that purchased the Padres in 2012 for $800 million. View full rumor

After a full offseason of hemming and hawing over who was and wasn't being acquired, the San Diego Padres have revealed their 26-man roster for Opening Day. While there, the starting rotation and the position players were set; the remaining decisions to be made had to deal with the bullpen. In order to get down to the final 26, the Friars had to make numerous moves, including adding two players to the major-league roster. One of those moves included putting right-handed starter Yu Darvish on the restricted list. Darvish had offseason elbow surgery and is expected to retire. Here is a list of what the Padres did: Selected the contract of right-handed starter Walker Buehler from Triple-A El Paso. Selected the contract of infielder Ty France from Triple-A El Paso. Placed right-handed starter Yu Darvish on the restricted list. Placed right-handed starter Joe Musgrove (right elbow inflammation) on the 15-day injured list. Placed right-handed starter Griffin Canning (surgery on left Achilles) on the 15-day injured list. Placed right-handed starter Matt Waldron (hemorrhoid surgery) on the 15-day injured list. Placed right-handed reliever Jason Adam (surgery on left quad) on the 15-day injured list. Placed left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui (strained left groin) on the 15-day injured list. Placed right-handed reliever Bryan Hoeing (right flexor tendon surgery) on the 15-day injured list. Placed infielder Sung Mun Song (strained right oblique) on the 10-day injured list. Placed infielder Will Wagner (strained right oblique) on the 10-day injured list. Starting rotation (5) Nick Pivetta, RH Michael King, RH Randy Vasquez, RH German Marquez, RH Walker Buehler, RH Buehler, the former Los Angeles Dodgers star, earned a spot in the rotation with a good spring. Vasquez was a surprising standout and could play a vital role throughout the season. Marquez had a bumpy Cactus League and, like Buehler, will need to prove himself as the season goes along, as there is a minimal financial investment. Bullpen (8) Mason Miller, RH Adrian Morejon, LH Jeremiah Estrada, RH David Morgan, RH Wandy Peralta, LH Kyle Hart, LH Bradgley Rodriguez, RH Ron Marinaccio, RH A unit that was one of the best in MLB last season returns virtually intact, with last year's closer, Robert Suarez, leaving via free agency (Atlanta). But Miller is more than a suitable replacement. Miller's profile, already pretty strong, should rise now that he is no longer with the A's. Rodriguez made his MLB debut last season and could work his way into important innings. Rodriguez and Marinaccio earned the final two bullpen spots. Catcher (2) Freddy Fermin Luis Campusano Fermin enters his first season as a starting catcher. While his defense isn't a question, his offense could be, although he had a terrific spring with the bat. Conversely, Campusano struggled this spring at the plate, which is by far the stronger part of his game. Infield (6) Gavin Sheets, 1B Jake Cronenworth, 2B Manny Machado, 3B Xander Bogaerts, SS Nick Castellanos, 1B-OF Ty France, 1B-2B-3B-LF France benefited from Song's injury to make the team as a non-roster player out of spring training. He hit well and showed he can play second and third base, positions he hasn't played much in recent MLB seasons. He did win the AL Gold Glove at first base last year. Castellanos was the headline acquisition in this group following his fallout in Philadelphia. He should get a lot of time between designated hitter and first base. Otherwise, Machado, Bogaerts, and Cronenworth as back as starters. Outfield (5) Ramon Laureano, LF Jackson Merrill, CF Fernando Tatis Jr., RF Miguel Andujar, LF-3B-1B Bryce Johnson, OF Tatis will be the key to how this offense clicks, regardless of where he hits in the order. Tatis had a nice World Baseball Classic, which could ignite him to start the season. With no starting jobs available due to the presence of Laureano, Merrill, and Tatis, Andujar was a free-agent addition meant to bolster the bench. While he doesn't hit many homers anymore, he does hit the ball well, especially against left-handers. Merrill is looking to bounce back from an injury-filled 2025. View full article

The San Diego Padres learned a lot about their team following more than a month at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona. With the exception of a few minor injuries (plus the season-ending surgery for reliever Bryan Hoeing), the Friars came out of camp mostly healthy. That made for a competitive situation all around camp, which produced some unexpected results. As the Padres get ready for Opening Day against two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park, let's take a look back at each of the position groups (rotation, bullpen, position players) to see who stood out—for reasons good and bad. Padres' Camp Stars Jase Bowen The outfielder certainly opened eyes this spring and made a push to supplant Bryce Johnson as the backup outfielder. Bowen tied for the most games played (24), had the most at-bats (54) and hits (16), tied for the team lead in homers (4) at the conclusion of spring training. Yet to make his MLB debut, the 25-year-old has just 36 games of Triple-A experience, so he will report to Triple-A El Paso and probably be the first call-up if the outfield needs reinforcement. Randy Vasquez While he stumbled a bit in his last to spring outings, the right-hander was otherwise stellar this spring. Vasquez was suddenly put in the spotlight when the Padres brought in Buehler and right-hander German Marquez, which put his seemingly safe job in the rotation somewhat in jeopardy. But he responded by not allowing a run in his first two starts, which has secured his spot among the starting five. He now sits as the No. 3 starter following a setback in Joe Musgrove's timeline, so he has a chance to further improve his standing on this team after a solid 2025. Bradgley Rodriguez The young right-hander showed why he will be a big part of the Padres' bullpen not only this year, but in the future. The 22-year-old has appeared in a team-high 10 games and allowed just one earned run (two total) in 9⅔ innings (0.83 ERA), striking out 12 and walking five. Rodriguez's status regarding the Opening Day roster is still up in the air as it will depend on how the bullpen is configured. However, he will see plenty of action in the majors this season as the inevitable opportunities arise. Padres' Camp Busts Mason McCoy The shortstop simply never put himself in position to make the Opening Day roster with his bat. He is just 7-for-41 (.171/.227/.268) this spring, although three of his hits are for extra bases. McCoy has played in 37 games with the Friars over the last two seasons, posting a slash line of .183/.275/.225. He is a glove-first player, having committed just one error with the Padres, but if he wants to be more than an emergency call-up, he will need to improve his offensive contributions. He did have a .272/.354/.450 slash line in 90 games at Triple-A El Paso in 2025. Marco Gonzales When camp began, there was real talk that the veteran left-hander might be in the rotation. That dissipated once the Friars made a few moves to bolster the starting group. Still, Gonzales didn't do himself any favors with what he did this spring; he worked to a 10.80 ERA in five appearances and 13⅓ innings. Now, Gonzales missed the entire 2025 season with left flexor tendon surgery, so shaking off some rust would be understandable. Going to Triple-A El Paso to begin the season will give him the opportunity to get back on track and make himself an option should the Friars need him. Manuel Castro The 23-year-old right-hander had a chance this spring to elevate his profile as he awaits to make his MLB debut. Instead, Castro struggled in six appearances that covered 5⅔ innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts for a 7.94 ERA. Castro struggled with walks at Triple-A El Paso last year, issuing 23 in 32 innings, while striking out 30. Those 24 games were his first taste of Triple-A, so a little extra seasoning may be what he needs. View full article

Not that the San Diego Padres needed more depth in their bullpen, but you can never have too many arms. But this one will go into the bank in hopes of a future payoff. Veteran right-hander Jose Leclerc, who has closer experience but missed most of 2025 with an injury, is close to signing a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres, MLB insider Mike Rodriguez reported Monday. The 32-year-old had lat surgery in August and is still working his way back, projected to return to action in July. To show his progress, Leclerc threw a bullpen session recently for a handful of teams. Leclerc pitched in just 10 games and nine innings last season for the A's, with his last appearance in late April. Before that, he had spent his entire eight-year career with the Texas Rangers, including being a big part of the bullpen that helped secure the 2023 World Series championship, getting four saves that postseason. He has 41 saves in 360 career games, posting a 3.54 FIP. He has struggled with walks in his career, with a 13.1% walk rate, but excels at strikeouts with a 30.8% rate. His walk rate was 11.1% in 2024. View full rumor

While it has seemed like the obvious decision since the San Diego Padres began spring training, the team took its time in formally naming the Opening Day starting pitcher. Right-hander Nick Pivetta, the Friars' best pitcher in the 2025 season, was named the starter for Thursday's season-opening game at Petco Park against the Detroit Tigers and Tarik Skubal, the winner of the last two AL Cy Young Awards. First pitch for Opening Day is 1:10 p.m. The remainder of the matchups for the Tigers series are Padres right-hander Michael King vs. Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez on Friday at 6:40 p.m. and Friars right-hander Randy Vasquez vs. Detroit right-hander Jack Flaherty. The Padres are off Sunday, then opening a three-game series vs. the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Right-handers Walker Buehler and German Marquez are expected to make their Padres debuts in that series. View full rumor

After becoming the first team to win back-to-back World Series since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to do something that hasn't been done since... the very same Yankees. The Dodgers brought back of its postseason roster and added a couple of superstars to its stable full of star players. There is little question that as the 2026 season begins, the Dodgers are not only the clear-cut favorite in the NL West—it figures to be a three-way battle for second place between the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks—but the best team in all of baseball. So the path back to the World Series, as of now, appears fairly clear. Only one other team since the Yankees of the 1950s (five in a row) has won three straight: the 1972-74 Oakland A's. Dodgers' Notable Offseason Moves There wasn't a whole lot the Dodgers had to do this offseason despite losing a handful of players to free agency (Michael Kopech, Michael Conforto, Kirby Yates, Andrew Heaney) or retirement (Clayton Kershaw). None of those players had a key role in the postseason. Still, the Dodgers did what the Dodgers do: upgrade. First was adding three-time Reliever of the Year Edwin Diaz via free agency (three years, $69 million), then landing the top player on the open market in right fielder Kyle Tucker (four years, $240 million). Diaz will fortify a Dodgers bullpen that was shaky at times in finishing games, while Tucker brings a big bat to an outfield that underproduced in 2025. L.A. also brought back infielder Miguel Rojas (one year, $5.5 million), injured infielder-outfielder Enrique Hernandez (one year, $4.5 million) and injured right-handed reliever Evan Phillips (one year, $6.5 million), while giving third baseman Max Muncy a one-year extension through 2027. The Dodgers did trade away left-handed reliever Anthony Banda, shipping him to the Minnesota Twins. Projected Dodgers Lineup Shohei Ohtani, DH Kyle Tucker, RF Mookie Betts, SS Freddie Freeman, 1B Will Smith, C Max Muncy, 3B Teoscar Hernandez, LF Andy Pages, CF Miguel Rojas, 2B Adding Tucker to this top four, much less this lineup, seems unfair to opposing pitchers. He never felt like he got into a groove with the Chicago Cubs, but still produced a .266/.377/.464 slash line with 23 homers, 78 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. Hitting behind Ohtani and ahead of Betts and Freeman could yield a 30-30 season from Tucker. Betts was disappointing offensively in 2025 as his season started with an illness that sapped a bunch of weight and he battled the entire season. However, he did amazing play Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop. Rojas, normally a bench player, is the surprising starter at second base until Tommy Edman (right ankle surgery) returns, probably in late April. Alex Freeland will also get time at second base. Projected Dodgers Rotation Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RH Tyler Glasnow, RH Shohei Ohtani, RH Emmet Sheehan, RH Roki Sasaki, RH What else can you say about Yamamoto that hasn't already been said? He leads a rotation that will have a full season of Ohtani, who was very good on the mound in his gradual comeback from Tommy John surgery in 2025. Ohtani, who had a 1.90 FIP in 14 starts last year, will continue to take things easy in the early going, with a designated piggyback (perhaps Justin Wrobleski). Sheehan begins in the rotation as left-hander Blake Snell (left shoulder discomfort) is not expected back until perhaps early May. The Dodgers had the third-fewest innings from their starters in 2025, so a healthy Ohtani should help improve that number. If there is a question in this group, it is whether Sasaki has learned enough from his struggles last season that landed him in the minors. Following his postseason success as a reliever, he now gets another shot in the rotation. The Verdict Last year's Dodgers had the worst regular-season record at 93-69 since they had 92 wins in 2018. That gave them the No. 3 seed in the NL postseason, but that was certainly not an obstacle as they steamrolled through their three series until the thrilling seven-game World Series triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays. The only thing that truly matters for the Dodgers is winning the trophy at the end of the season. This roster is built for that to happen. View full article

If there is a set of players who have a chip on their shoulder entering the 2026 season, it is the group who will primarily fill the role of designated hitter for the San Diego Padres. Nick Castellanos was dumped by the Philadelphia Phillies. Miguel Andujar spent most of the last two seasons with the nomadic Athletics. Sung Mun Song is new to MLB. Ty France is back just looking for a job. And there is Gavin Sheets, who could lose playing time to one or all of those players. It is all part of the throwing-spaghetti-against-the-wall plan the Friars have taken to boosting a position that was woefully inadequate in 2025. Padres Designated Hitters At A Glance Starter: Nick Castellanos Backup: Gavin Sheets, Miguel Andujar Depth: Sung Mun Song, Manny Machado, Ty France Padres fWAR ranking last year: 21st out of 30. Padres fWAR projection this year: 25th out of 30. The Good At one point just before spring training, you could take a look at the Padres' roster and wonder if the designated hitter spot would be at all productive this year. But thanks to the usual offseason shenanigans of A.J. Preller, that is no longer the case. In fact, there are enough candidates for at-bats here that the DH spot could be a very nice contributor to the offense. Castellanos, the Philadelphia Phillies castoff, could get most of the time here if Sheets starts at first. Those two figure to be interchangeable at both positions depending on whose glove (or bat) is hotter. Then you have to factor in Andujar, who will be in the lineup somewhere—DH, left field or third base—due to his career success against left-handers (.297/.332/.475). Song and France, who could snag the last bench spot, will also see time at DH to keep their bats fresh. And that isn't even figuring in Machado, who will DH on occasion to keep him fresh from the wear and tear of playing third base. But the real focus here should be Castellanos. Setting aside the problems with the Phillies, Castellanos was a constant in Philadelphia's lineup the last four years. He posted a .260/.306/.426 slash line in that time, averaging 20 homers and 81 RBIs. Castellanos could also end up playing more first base, a position he has never played before this spring, with Sheets taking more DH at-bats. Sheets rotated between DH, first base and left field in 2025, producing a .252/.317/.429 slash line with 19 homers and 71 RBIs. With Song expected to play second base, third base and possibly shortstop and the outfield, nearly anyone could take a day or two off the field to fill in at DH. Of course, Song himself is working his way back from his second oblique injury in two months, so DH is also a spot to ease him into his first season in MLB after nine years in the Korea Baseball Organization. In his last two years in the KBO, Song hit 45 homers and had 46 steals combined while putting up slash lines of .340/.409/.518 and .315/.387/.530. respectively. The Bad Do you remember who started off at DH for the Padres in 2025? It was Yuli Gurriel, who was off the roster by early May. That set the tone for the position, which produced a .225 batting average, 25th in MLB. It could be that the Friars have too many bodies to throw at DH at this point of the season, but in essence that is a good problem to have. That depth usually sorts itself out through injuries and production. There is no huge investment in any single player in the mix at DH, so this should be a true meritocracy. The designated hitter should never be among the least productive hitters on the team, but it was for the Friars last year. A repeat of that from the laundry list of castoffs the Padres are employing in 2026 would be catastrophic. The Bottom Line Whether the individuals in this group have something to prove based on their MLB track record or are a newcomer to the league, there are plenty of possibilities here. The depth itself is better than what the Padres ran out there last year, which ended up dragging down the offense. There will be more power out of the DH position, something the team needs as a whole. Castellanos is surely motivated following his unceremonious exit from Philadelphia, but he did just turn 34 and is coming off the worst season of his career. Perhaps that is resolved with the change of scenery. Having Andujar, Song and potentially France as alternatives will provide manager Craig Stammen with choices. View full article

The San Diego Padres are bringing Ty France with them to Opening Day. The Friars told the former San Diego State standout that he will be on the roster to begin the season, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Saturday. As a non-roster player in camp, the infielder will have to be added to the 40-man roster. The move comes a day after right-handed starter Walker Buehler was told he will be on the Opening Day roster. France signed a minor-league deal after camp began, which called for his salary to be $1.35 million once added to the Padres' roster. The Padres had faced a Saturday deadline to inform them of their decision or have him possibly opt-out of his contract. In winning the final spot on the bench, France has had a really good spring, putting up a .318/.367/.545 slash line with two homers with 12 RBIs in 44 at-bats. Last year's AL Gold Glove first baseman has displayed his positional versatility, playing second and third base this spring. France has played second base in an MLB game three times over the last four years and 55 times since his MLB debut with the Padres in 2019. He has not played third base since the 2022 season. But as a member of the Padres' bench for 2026, France is likely to see action at both spots early in the season, especially with Sung Mun Song expected to start the season on the injured list. Adding France means the four-person bench will likely include him, catcher Luis Campusano, outfielder-infielder Miguel Andujar, and outfielder Bryce Johnson. France started the 2025 season with the Minnesota Twins, but was traded at the deadline to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he played sparingly as the team made a run to the World Series. View full rumor

The journey for Walker Buehler will continue with the San Diego Padres. The right-handed starter, signed to a minor-league deal at the beginning of spring training, has been told he is making the Padres' Opening Day roster, Kevin Acee of the San Diego-Union Tribune reported Friday. Buehler was facing an opt-out decision Saturday if not assured of making the major-league roster. Buehler's original deal called for him to make $1.5 million when on the Padres' roster. The Friars currently have one opening on their 40-man roster, so adding Buehler will not necessitate another move. Buehler was a no-brainer. He has been very good this spring, posting a 3.39 ERA in 11⅔ innings, walking four and striking out 13. He struck out seven and allowed three hits in five shutout innings Monday vs. the San Francisco Giants in his most recent start. Buehler, a former Los Angeles Dodgers star, had a rocky 2025, mostly with the Boston Red Sox before being released and signing with the Philadelphia Phillies and having better results. He will join Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Randy Vasquez in the rotation, with German Marquez likely the final piece of what will be an all-righty rotation. Infielder Ty France, like Buehler, a non-roster invite to camp, is also facing a Saturday deadline to be on the Padres' roster, according to the Union-Tribune. View full rumor

Suddenly, the San Diego Padres have just four Cactus League games left. The dog days of spring were covered up by the World Baseball Classic, but now everyone is focused on the finer things in order to get ready for Opening Day. That includes a couple of split-squad games Friday before wrapping things up with their co-tenant at the Peoria Sports Complex, the Seattle Mariners, on Monday. Then, the fateful return to San Diego. 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 won three in a row to improve to 14-11-1 in the Cactus League, beating the San Francisco Giants 3-1 Monday, the Seattle Mariners 9-6 Tuesday and the Chicago White Sox 13-6 Thursday. Who's Hot? 🔥 Walker Buehler With the door clearly open for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, the two-time World Series champ is doing his best to walk through it. Buehler had his best outing of the spring, going five shutout innings against the Giants, allowing three hits and two walks, while striking out seven. He threw 45 of his 77 pitches for strikes and got 11 swings and misses, all while topping out at 94.4 mph on his four-seamer. Buehler's numbers from 2025 weren't pretty, but he was much better in his final seven games as he completed his first full season after Tommy John surgery. Matt Waldron The right-hander was the subject of a lot of jokes when he required hemorrhoid surgery early in camp. While that threw off his chances of making the Opening Day rotation, he has come back and showed his value in what is a crucial season for him. Waldron threw two innings vs. the Mariners, allowing one run on two hits with no walks and two strikeouts. He was optioned to Triple-A this week, where he will build up his innings before a potential call-up. Waldron was a key part of the rotation in 2024, but only appeared in one MLB game in 2025. Rodolfo Duran An afterthought as camp began, the 28-year-old catcher has played quite a bit during Cactus League action. That is in part to Blake Hunt, who likely entered spring as No. 3 on the depth chart, sustaining an oblique injury. Duran, yet to make his MLB debut, has seized the opportunity with a .263/.462/.632 slash line in 14 games and 26 plate appearances. He has a pair of homers, six RBIs and six walks. With Luis Campusano's iffy defensive skills and spring struggles, does Duran make the Opening Day roster as the No. 2 catcher? At worst, he'll head back to Triple-A as the next man up. Who's Cold? 🧊 Michael King Still in the mix to be the Opening Day starter, the right-hander gave up six runs in five innings vs. the White Sox. Three came in the first and the other three in the fourth. King gave up three home runs, a pair to LaMonte Wade Jr. and the other to Curtis Mead. He allowed nine hits while walking two and striking out three. It was the second game in a row King allowed six runs, leaving his ERA at a problematic 10.19 in five games, with opponents hitting .351 against him. This cannot continue into the regular season if the Friars want any chance of surviving the NL West gauntlet. Ramon Laureano To be fair, the left fielder hasn't struggled that much, but he does lead the team with 15 strikeouts this spring in 33 at-bats. When he does make contact, he has put up a .273/.368/.515 slash line with one homer and three RBIs. The Friars would certainly take that average this season, especially if he can repeat his 24 homers, which tied his career high, from a year ago. Laureano will be a key to how the bottom half of the order performs this season, perhaps hitting as high as sixth and being counted on to drive in runs. Manny Machado After going 6-for-20 in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, the superstar third baseman returned to the Padres and has picked up right where he left off before the WBC. In other words, he has not good. Machado had been just 2-for-9 this spring (both hits homers in a single game) before the WBC. In his first game back, Machado went 0-for-3 and is now hitting .167 this spring. That was just one game after his two-week stint with the Dominican Republic, so hopefully the bat shows some life this weekend as Opening Day approaches. View full article

Padres Mission's countdown of the top 20 prospect in the San Diego Padres' organization comes to a conclusion with the No. 1 prospect, as voted on by our writers. Check out all of the other entries in the ranking here: No. 2 : Kash Mayfield No. 3: Kruz Schoolcraft No. 4: Bradgley Rodriguez No. 5: Miguel Mendez No. 6: Jagger Haynes No. 7: Humberto Cruz No. 8: Ty Harvey No. 9: Ryan Wideman No. 10: Kale Fountain Nos. 11-15 Nos. 16-20 No. 1: Ethan Salas (San Antonio Missions) Despite being born in Kissimmee, Fla., Salas qualified as an international free agent with family ties to Venezuela. As a 16-year-old, he was the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, signing with the Padres for a $5.6 million bonus, at the time the largest handed out in the current capped system. Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB 2023 17 -7.4 San Antonio TL AA SDP 9 33 28 2 5 1 0 0 3 0 1 4 8 .179 .303 .214 .517 6 1 1 0 0 0 2023 17 -5.3 Fort Wayne MIDW A+ SDP 9 37 35 3 7 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 10 .200 .243 .229 .472 8 0 0 0 0 0 2023 17 -4.2 Lake Elsinore CALL A SDP 48 220 191 35 51 11 2 9 35 5 2 24 57 .267 .350 .487 .837 93 3 2 0 3 0 2024 18 -4.3 Fort Wayne MIDW A+ SDP 113 469 412 38 85 27 2 4 53 10 3 47 98 .206 .288 .311 .599 128 4 3 0 7 0 2024 18 -4.2 Peoria AZFL Fal 23 107 92 14 21 6 0 4 21 4 1 13 27 .228 .327 .424 .751 39 1 1 0 1 0 2025 19 -5.0 San Antonio TL AA SDP 10 41 32 5 6 1 0 0 5 2 0 6 5 .188 .325 .219 .544 7 0 1 1 1 0 Salas, who played with players twice his age in the Venezuelan winter league just months before signing, made his debut in the Padres organization two days before his 17th birthday, playing for the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm. Coming from a baseball family—dad Jose Salas Sr. played catcher in the Atlanta system, his paternal grandfather and his dad's brother played in the minors and Ethan has two brothers currently in the minors (Jose Jr. with the Minnesota Twins and Andrew with the Miami Marlins)—Salas had a wealth of knowledge that helped elevate his prospect status. Plus, being a 6-foot-2, 185-pounder who would have had to wait another year or two before being drafted doesn't hurt, either. He was a rare catcher that not only had elite defense, but had a good approach at the plate as a left-handed hitter. He has a proclivity for hitting the ball to all fields and was scouted with plus power. Salas showed those skills at Lake Elsinore. In his first 48 professional games, Salas had a slash line of .267/.350/.487 with nine homers, 35 RBIs and five stolen bases. Defensively, he had just one error and threw out eight of 37 steal attempts. As the Padres are wont to do, Salas was quickly promoted to the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. He wasn't there very long, playing in just nine games with Fort Wayne and struggling offensively with a .200/.243/.229 slash line. With the season coming to an end, the Padres surprisingly moved Salas up again, this time to the Double-A San Antonio Missions, where he spent another nine games. There, he had a slash line of .179/.303/.214. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline each had Salas ranked as the No. 8 prospect in baseball as he returned to Fort Wayne to start the 2024 season as a 17-year-old, the youngest player in the Midwest League. This time, he stuck around for 113 games, but the offense he showed at Lake Elisnore wasn't there. Salas put together a .206/.288/.311 slash line with four homers, 53 RBIs and 10 steals, playing against players who on average were 4.3 years older than he was. He threw out 28 of 111 runners attempting to steal in 67 games at catcher. With a full season under his belt, the Friars sent him to the Arizona Fall League, a prospect showcase. The offense was still a work in progress as he finished with a .228/.327/.424 slash line, but he did pop four homers and drove in 21. The lack of offense started to dampen Salas' prospect luster, as Baseball America dropped him to No. 31 and MLB Pipeline to No. 33 entering 2025. Now 18 years old, Salas went up to Double-A, where he was five years younger than the average player in the Texas League. But just 10 games into the season, Salas' campaign came to an abrupt end with a stress reaction in his lower back. Salas, now 19, is likely returning to San Antonio to begin 2026. He participated in major-league camp this year, but went just 2-for-11 (.182). He slid further in the prospect rankings, tumbling to No. 90 in the Baseball America list and not being included in MLB Pipeline's Top 100. Some outlets even moved Salas to No. 2 in the Padres' system, behind last year's first-round draft pick, left-handed starter Kruz Schoolcraft. All of this adds up to making 2026 a key year for Salas. The defense is still there, with improvements made to his throwing process to better cut down runners. His approach at the plate has been considered simple (in a good way, with fewer moving parts) and he had an 86% in-zone contact rate in 2024 and his brief stint in 2025 before being hurt. He improved his strikeout rate by about five percentage points from 2023 to 2024 even though he didn't fare well against breaking balls. How the Friars treat Salas if he has success offensively will be something to watch. Double-A pitching is sometimes better than Triple-A pitching due to the number of prospects at the second-highest minor-league level, so any development on that front would be a huge boon for the best catcher in the system. While he was out injured last year and continuing this offseason, Salas worked with a number of people who have catching experience in the Padres' organization, including A.J. Ellis, Scott Servais and Mike Borzello, a current advance scout with a lot of experience on championship-winning teams as a bullpen catcher and catching coach. It helped Salas with game-planning and other items to sharpen him defensively. He is now up to 215 pounds (and down to 6-foot-1 in revised measurements) and worked to shorten his swing to improve his offense. "Cerebrally he’s advanced for his age, and for as little as he’s played, he absorbs the information really well," Borzello told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Now it’s just about playing and getting reps." Added Salas: "I think that’s why I didn’t see last year as the biggest negative in the world. I just took a lot of time to reflect, kind of make a plan starting forward and how I want to start going about things and I want to start playing and taking care of my business." With better health, Salas could make a loud return to top prospect lists around the league in 2026. Hard as it is to believe, he's still just a teenager, as he won't turn 20 until June. View full article