Steve Drumwright

These last two weeks have been revealed more about various players in San Diego Padres' system, as many have started to carve out their season-long identity. There are a handful of players who are building on expectations, more than we can fit into Padres Mission's standouts and disappoints. Still, let's check in with the recent movers and how the Padres on rehab assignments are doing. Padres Rehab Report RHP Lucas Giolito While technically not a rehab assignment (Giolito was optioned to the Low-A Lake Elsinore after signing), it is a buildup of his arm to return to the majors. Giolito's first start Saturday looked every bit of a spring training debut. He threw 63 pitches (40 strikes) and allowed just two hits, both doubles, while striking out four and walking three. Giolito's command was definitely shaky, but it was in a low-stakes environment. One thing to worry about was Giolito appeared to injure his right hand when he attempted to snag a line-drive comebacker at head level. It was a glancing blow that didn't seem to bother him that much initially. The manager was already on his way out to the mound to remove Giolito from the game and didn't appear to ask the pitcher about his hand. RHP Griffin Canning (ruptured left Achilles) Canning made his third and fourth starts since his 30-day rehab assignment began April 4, all with Triple-A El Paso. The progress feels a little slow, as he threw 67 pitches in 2⅔ innings April 16, then 45 in 1⅔ innings Wednesday. On April 16, Canning allowed one hit but walked four, allowing six runs, only two of which were earned, while striking out six. On Wednesday, the right-hander was lifted after throwing 31 pitches in the second inning, allowing a pair of runs on three hits and two walks with no strikeouts. Canning figures to have at least one if not two more outings before the Padres have to make a decision on his status, whether to recall him from his rehab assignment for further medical evaluation or to activate him to the 26-man roster. LHP Yuki Matsui (strained left groin) Matsui has made six appearances over the last two weeks after only three in the first 15 games for El Paso. Four of those six were one-inning outings, with his latest one going two scoreless innings Sunday. He allowed a total of nine hits and three runs, including two homers, with one walk and nine strikeouts. His rehab assignment also began April 4, but his return would seem to be more imminent than Canning's. His two innings Sunday could point to going back-to-back as the last thing to check off before rejoining the Padres. RHP Jeremiah Estrada (right elbow tendinitis) Estrada made his first rehab appearance Friday for Low-A Lake Elsinore, pitching a perfect seventh inning, striking out one. He also got a fly out and a popup, throwing 10 of his 14 pitches for strikes. He went on the 15-day injured list April 10, and this appearance was a good sign for a relatively quick return to the Padres, as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks. Padres Farm System Standouts IF-OF Pablo Reyes (Triple-A El Paso) The versatile Reyes has been a significant offensive contributor thus far for the Chihuahuas. Reyes has reached base in all 18 games he has played and leads the team with a .438 on-base percentage. He was given the day off on Sunday, but has a six-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .360 (9-for-25) with two doubles and four RBIs. Reyes has five multi-hit games this season to go along with six steals. C Ethan Salas (Double-A San Antonio) Salas also got a well-deserved day off Sunday, but he too has been red-hot of late. Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect not only hit his first two homers of the season in games Friday and Saturday, but he is on an 14-for-37 run with two doubles and eight RBIs with six walks and eight strikeouts. That has raised his early-season average from .125 to .296. Salas has been hitting mainly out of the leadoff spot, scoring seven runs and going 3-for-3 on steal attempts. MINORS_SALAS_0426.mp4 OF Alex McCoy (High-A Fort Wayne) The 6-foot-5, 240-pound McCoy has been the hottest hitter in the Padres' system. Before going 0-for-3 Saturday, McCoy had a 15-game hitting streak in which he put up a slash line of .356/.361/.678 with a 1.039 OPS. He had seven doubles, four homers and nine RBIs during the streak, which was the longest in TinCaps history since a 15-gamer by Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2017. All four of McCoy's homers this season came during his hitting streak, which began after a 1-for-8 start to the season. He had six multi-hit games during the run. MINORS_MCCOY_0426.mp4 Padres Farm System Disappointments LHP JP Sears (Triple-A El Paso) The other player the Padres acquired in the Mason Miller trade, Sears had a rough spring (10 runs in 10⅔ innings) as he made a bid to be part of the Friars' rotation or at least the long man out of the bullpen, thus being optioned to Triple-A. He has followed that with a poor beginning to the regular season. That includes allowing 11 runs over his last two starts, giving up 11 hits (three homers) with six walks and five strikeouts in 9⅓ innings. He gave up seven runs on eight hits and five walks in 3⅓ innings on April 17. Sears' struggles are part of the reason the Padres were concerned about their rotation depth, hence why they went out and got Lucas Giolito. In five starts, Sears has a 7.15 ERA in 22⅔ innings. LHP Omar Cruz (Double-A San Antonio) After making his MLB debut with two relief appearances in 2025, Cruz started this season at Triple-A El Paso. All six of his appearances there were in relief and he went just four innings, compiling an 18.00 ERA, giving up eight runs on nine hits (two homers) with six walks and six strikeouts. On Saturday, he was demoted to Double-A San Antonio. He made his Missions debut Sunday, striking out three in two scoreless innings. LHP Kruz Schoolcraft (Low-A Lake Elsinore) Let's be clear: This is Schoolcraft's first true professional season after getting a token start at Lake Elsinore following his selection as the 25th overall pick in last summer's draft out of an Oregon high school. So why pick on him here? Facts are facts and Schoolcraft will use his experience in these four starts to make himself better. He pitched a career-high three innings in each of his last two outings, going 57 pitches April 17 and 51 on Friday. Combined, he gave up 11 hits and six runs (four earned) with two walks and three strikes in each of those games. Those starts came after two in which he allowed 10 runs in 1⅓ innings, with six hits and six walks against one strikeout. His season ERA sits at 15.95. View full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 3-2 Runs scored last week: 27 Runs allowed last week: 32 Random Stats Eight of Randy Vasquez's 51 starts as a Padre have come against the Rockies. He hasn't made more than four against any other team. Since their expansion season of 1969, the Friars have 115 1-0 victories, which ranks third in MLB during that span. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (143) and New York Mets (120) have more. The Padres have outscored their opponents 25-1 in the ninth inning this season. Their 25 runs in the ninth lead MLB. After Thursday's rally, the Padres were the only team in MLB this season to come back from three runs down in the ninth inning or later and won. They have done so twice this year. Saturday was the fifth time already this season the Friars have come back from a four-run deficit at any point of the game to win, two more than any other team. The Padres had a grand total of two last year. The Padres are 18-9 for the third-best record in MLB and half a game behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers (19-9). Atlanta leads MLB at 20-9. Transactions Wednesday: Signed free-agent RHP Lucas Giolito and assigned him to Low-A Lake Elsinore. Wednesday: Transferred RHP Bryan Hoeing (torn right flexor tendon) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Friday: Sent RHP Jeremiah Estrada on a rehab assignment to Lake Elsinore. Saturday: Recalled 3B Sung-Mun Song from El Paso as extra player for Mexico City Series. Website Highlights Giolito is the best answer the Padres could have come up with — Randy Holt Padres are winning in spite of their offense — Randy Holt How the Seidler family revamped the Padres — Andy Johnson How the 2026 Padres stack up in a deep NL — Brendan Dentino Looking Ahead Monday: Cubs (Matthew Boyd) at Padres (Randy Vasquez), 6:40 p.m. Tuesday: Cubs at (Edward Cabrera) Padres (Walker Buehler), 6:40 p.m. Wednesday: Cubs at (Jameson Taillon) Padres (Matt Waldron), 1:10 p.m. Thursday: Off Friday: White Sox (Noah Schultz) at Padres (German Marquez), 6:40 p.m. Saturday: White Sox (Sean Burke) at Padres (Michael King), 5:40 p.m. Sunday: White Sox (Anthony Kay) at Padres (Randy Vasquez), 1:10 p.m. View full article

Sung-Mun Song is finally getting his chance. After a spring training interrupted by a second oblique injury that cost him a spot on the Opening Day roster, the South Korean infielder was called up by the San Diego Padres on Saturday to make his MLB debut this weekend. Song is the extra player for the two-game Mexico City Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and will have to be returned to Triple-A El Paso following Sunday's game, barring an injury to a position player. The 29-year-old Song, a key signing in the offseason, was close to being able to start the season with the Padres, but he still needed some at-bats and was put on the 15-day injured list. He started a rehab assignment with El Paso and spent the maximum 20 days there. With no room on the 26-man roster and no one underperforming, Song was optioned to Triple-A. Song has done well at El Paso, with a slash line of .293/.369/.320 with no homers and 12 RBIs in 20 games. He has not attempted a stolen base. Now Song will get a chance to make his MLB debut in the high altitude of Mexico City. View full rumor

The San Diego Padres have a new weapon in the starting rotation. Right-handed starter Lucas Giolito, one of the top free agents entering the offseason, has signed a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2027, the team announced Wednesday. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported the deal was worth $3 million for 2026. Giolito signed a two-year, $38.5 million contract with the Boston Red Sox in 2024 and remained a free agent because he didn't want to take a bargain deal. Right-handed reliever Bryan Hoeing, who is out for the season following elbow surgery, was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL to make room on the Padres' 40-man roster. The 31-year-old Southern California native is likely to take over the rotation spot vacated by Opening Day starter Nick Pivetta, who is on the 15-day injured list with a strained right flexor. Pivetta is expected to miss a significant amount of time this season. Giolito had said recently that he had been staying in shape with 75-pitch bullpen sessions, but it is likely that he will need at least a couple of starts in the minors to get into game shape. He has been assigned to Low-A Lake Elsinore and must be added to the MLB roster by May 16, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Right-hander Matt Waldron is currently occupying Pivetta's spot in the rotation, but he got rocked in his season debut. Waldron's next start is scheduled for April 23 against the Colorado Rockies. Born in Santa Monica and an alum of Harvard-Westlake High School, Giolito had three straight top-11 finishes in AL Cy Young Award (2019-21). In 2025 with the Boston Red Sox, Giolito made 26 starts and had a 4.17 FIP (3.41 ERA) with a 9.1% walk rate and 19.7% strikeout rate. That came after missing all of 2024 with UCL surgery on his right elbow, a good bounce back in his first season back. Eventually, Giolito will join a rotation of all right-handers: Michael King, Randy Vasquez, Walker Buehler, German Marquez and Waldron. Giolito will provide another experienced arm, possibly putting Waldron's roster spot in jeopardy. While the rotation is in good shape, there is little depth behind this group. Right-hander Griffin Canning is currently on a rehab assignment following last year's Achilles injury and will need to be activated in the next couple weeks. The signing also comes less than a week after the Padres' reported sale agreement with Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones for a record $3.9 billion. The prospective new owners likely played little role in this transaction; the Padres have been tied to Giolito since the offseason. View full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 5-1 Runs scored last week: 22 Runs allowed last week: 19 Standings Scores Game 17 (Tuesday): Padres 4, Mariners 1 Game 18 (Wednesday): Padres 7, Mariners 6 Game 19 (Thursday): Padres 5, Mariners 2 Game 20 (Friday): Angels 8, Padres 0 Game 21 (Saturday): Padres 4, Angels 1 Game 22 (Sunday): Padres 2, Angels 1 Series Breakdown/Highlights Mariners series Game 1: Following a day off and after receiving the bad news before the game that Opening Day starter Nick Pivetta was going on the injured list, the Mariners came to town for the season opener of the Vedder Cup. And right-handed starter Michael King was certainly rocking, even if he didn't hit all the notes correctly. King allowed one run over six innings as the Padres won their sixth straight, beating the Mariners 4-1. King allowed four hits, walked two and struck out five, but his control was off as only 49 of his 85 pitches were strikes. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, the Padres took control of the game. Ramon Laureano had a one-out triple and scored on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr. Xander Bogaerts snapped the 1-1 tie with a two-run single to center, the second of his three hits. Jackson Merrill also had three hits and scored twice, including doubling and scoring an insurance run on Bogaerts' final hit in the eighth inning. That set the stage for closer Mason Miller, who struck out one of the three batters he faced for his fifth save in as many chances. Miller has struck out 20 of the 27 batters he has faced this season while extending his scoreless streak to 29⅔ innings, third-longest in team history and one-third of an inning shy of tying the late Randy Jones for second place. Game 2: If you left the stadium or turned to a different channel early, sorry. You missed a terrific comeback by the Friars, who extended their winning streak to seven games. For the third time in six games, the Padres won in walk-off fashion, with Merrill's double down the left-field line scoring Laureano and Luis Campusano with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to finish off a five-run rally for a 7-6 victory. It was the third career walk-off hit for Merrill, who was already going to be a star of the game. That was because of his third-inning home run robbery of a drive by Mariners superstar Julio Rodriguez in the left-center field cap. Merrill's theft denied J-Rod of a two-run homer and kept the Padres' deficit at 2-0. Merrill called it the best catch of his young career. Still, the Padres did trail 6-0 in the fifth inning before starting their comeback. Bogaerts got things started with his third homer of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth inning that was his third in his last seven games. For Bogaerts, it was his 200th career homer. That was the lone damage off Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock, who good for six innings. Mariners closer Anthony Munoz, a former Friar, came on in a non-save situation in the ninth and couldn't finish the job. There were plenty of good trips to the plate in the ninth and it started with Manny Machado drawing a seven-pitch walk. Tatis had a pinch-hit sacrifice fly, Campusano with another big hit in the form of an RBI single and Laureano's own run-scoring single to pull the Padres within 6-5. That chased Munoz in favor of Jose Ferrer, who inherited runners on first and second with two outs. Ferrer got the count to 2-2 on Merrill, who then laced a double down the left-field line that Randy Arozarena bobbled, allowing Campusano to score from second and Laureano from first without a play. The only two dings on the Padres were Randy Vasquez's first bad start of the season. The right-hander gave up four runs on five hits with four walks and six strikeouts in four innings. Also, catcher Freddy Fermin left the game in the top of the third inning after taking another foul ball off the mask. Game 3: How about an undefeated homestand? Tatis capped a four-run second inning with a two-run single as the Padres won their eighth straight, a 5-2 win over the Mariners. That gave the Friars a three-game sweep of the Mariners and a 7-0 record on this homestand before heading to Anaheim. The Friars' first homestand of the season resulted in a 2-4 mark. The eight wins in a row are the most by a team this young season. Right-hander Walker Buehler earned his first win as a Padre, pitching into the sixth inning and Miller surpassed Jones for the second-longest scoreless streak in franchise history at 30⅔. Only Cla Meredith has a longer run at 33⅔ innings. Miller is 6-for-6 in save opportunities after striking out the side, giving him a spectacular 23 K's in 30 batters faced this season. He has allowed just one hit. The Friars put up all the offense they would need in the second inning against right-hander Luis Castillo. Gavin Sheets doubled with one out, took third on Miguel Andujar's single and scored on Campusano's single to left. Cronenworth's comebacker led to a throwing error by Castillo to load the bases and Laureano grounded to first to plate Andujar. Still looking for a big moment this year, Tatis lined a single to center to drive in two more runs and stake Buehler to a 4-0 lead. Buehler took a two-hit shutout into the sixth inning, but yielded singles to the first three hitters to load the bases, ending his night. Right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez came in and gave up a two-run single to Julio Rodriguez. A groundout and a walk reloaded the bases and manager Craig Stammen had the quick hook, turning to Morejon to again escape a jam. A strikeout and a groundout did the trick, preserving the 4-2 lead. Jason Adam allowed one hit in the eighth and Miller slammed the door in the ninth. Angels series Game 1: Every winning streak must come to an end, but there might have been some other forces at work as the Friars' eight-game winning streak was halted. On a day the Angels announced the death of former outfielder Garret Anderson at the age of 53, Los Angeles sent the starting pitcher off to the best beginning of the season to the mound. It added up to an 8-0 loss for the Padres. Right-hander Jose Soriano allowed just two hits in 5⅔ shutout innings, striking out eight, walking four and lowering his ERA to a microscopic 0.28 after five starts. The Angels jumped on Padres right-hander Matt Waldron, making his season debut as Pivetta's rotation replacement, for six runs in 3⅔ innings. Waldron allowed eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The Padres managed just three hits off four Angels pitchers in being shut out for the first time this season. The only real threat by the Friars came in the sixth inning as, with two outs, Machado singled and Bogaerts walked, ending Soriano's day. Sheets flew out to the warning track in right on the first pitch from right-hander Chase Silseth to end the threat. Game 2: A terrific start by German Marquez and another dose of late offense got the Padres back in the win column. Marquez pitched 5⅔ shutout innings, while Laureano and Tatis drove in all the runs in the eighth and ninth innings as the Friars won 4-1. It was their 12th win in 14 games and came a day after their eight-game winning streak was halted. The story early was Marquez, who allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five. It was his second scoreless outing in his last three starts. He was backed by Merrill's third homer-robbing catch of the season, this time in the right-center gap in the second inning on a drive by Yoan Moncada. The Padres likewise were held in check by left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, which left the game 0-0 entering the eighth inning. Fermin, back in the lineup after sitting out two games after taking a foul ball of the mask, and Cronenworth drew leadoff walks. Laureano grounded a single up the middle to score Fermin from second and extend hit hitting streak to seven games. Tatis, shaking off an early slump despite plenty of hard-hit balls, dribbled a grounder to the right side of the infield that barely trickled onto the outfield grass to bring in Cronenworth from third. After mustering two hits in the first seven innings, the Angels got three hits in the eighth off Adam, making it 2-1. In the ninth, Bryce Johnson, who came on as a pinch-runner earlier, singled in his first at-bat, then Fermin and Cronenworth walked again to load the bases. Laureano's sacrifice fly to center made it 3-1 and Tatis made it a three-run cushion on a line drive to right-center. That brought in Miller, who was tagged for just his second hit of the season by Moncada. After a strikeout, Miller issued his second walk of the season before retiring the final two batters. That was the first time an opponent had multiple runners on vs. the closer, who earned his seventh save. Miller's scoreless streak is now at 31⅔ innings, two shy of Meredith's club record. Game 3: Sustainable winning means getting contributions from every part of the roster. Johnson hasn't had a lot of playing time this season, but he made sure to chip in when given the chance. Johnson's opposite-field single in the top of the seventh helped the Friars to a 2-1 win in the series finale. It was the Padres' 13th win in 15 games. Johnson's hit drove in Bogaerts from second for a 2-0 lead. Bogaerts had singled home Tatis in the fourth for the first run of the game. That was enough for King to work with. The right-hander allowed just one hit and struck out six in five innings, although he did walk four. In the bottom of the seventh, facing left-hander Kyle Hart, Oswald Peraza got the Angels' second and only other hit with a leadoff double. A hit by pitch and sacrifice bunt forced a move to Bradgley Rodriguez, who gave up RBI grounder to make it 2-1. That left it up to Miller to finish another one off. The closer struck out two of the three batters he faced for his eighth save. That also boosted his scoreless streak to 31 games and 32⅔ innings, one inning shy of Meredith's club record. The Friars have two days off in the coming week, one due to the travel day to Mexico City for the two-game series vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: In 11 games this season, Miller is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA, allowing two hits and two walks with 27 strikeouts in 11⅓ innings. Opponents are hitting .056 and he has a 0.35 WHIP. Has struck out 27 of the 38 batters he has faced (71.1% strikeout rate). Struck out the side in Thursday's game, increasing his strikeout rate over his last nine appearances to 78.1%. It is the third time Miller has struck out 75% of the batters in a nine-game stretch in MLB history. He is the only pitcher in MLB history to accomplish that. Struck out all three batters faced in a game for the fifth time in his last seven appearances, two more times than any other pitcher in his team's first 19 games since at least 1900. Opponents are 0-for-25 with 21 strikeouts against Miller's slider this season, including 0-for-3 with two strikeouts Sunday. His slider has the highest whiff rate of any pitch by any pitcher this season at 77.8%. Random Stats Wednesday's five-run ninth inning resulted in the Padres' first win when trailing by four or more runs in the ninth since June 14, 2019, a game they beat the Colorado Rockies 16-12 in 12 innings. In that game, the Friars scored six runs in the ninth. The Padres had five consecutive games with 10 or more hits during their winning streak, the longest stretch in club history since a six-game run June 4-9, 2013. Since snapping his 0-for-35 stretch that dated to the 2024 season, Luis Campusano had an eight-game hitting streak that came to an end Friday. Five of his nine hits in that run were for extra bases. The Padres have faced opposing starting pitchers who have turned in quality starts in 10 of the Friars' first 18 games. Transactions Tuesday: Placed RHP Nick Pivetta on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Monday with right elbow inflammation. Tuesday: Recalled RHP Alek Jacob from Triple-A El Paso. Thursday: Activated IF Sung-Mun Song from the 10-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso. Friday: Activated RHP Matt Waldron from the 15-day injured list (hemorrhoid surgery). Friday: Optioned RHP Alek Jacob to Triple-A El Paso. Website Highlights Padres' sale reaching final steps for record $3.9 billion — Brandon Glick Feliciano ushers in LinkedIn-ification of the Padres — Brendan Dentino Who is to blame for Musgrove's setback, Padres, pitcher or no one? — Steve Drumwright Waldron can't replace Pivetta, but he can save his Padres career — Randy Holt Cronenworth might be playing his way onto Padres' bench — Andy Johnson Sheets' grip on Padres' first base job is loosening — Randy Holt Looking Ahead Monday: Off Tuesday: Padres (Randy Vasquez) at Rockies, 5:40 p.m. Wednesday: Padres (Walker Buehler) at Rockies, 5:40 p.m. Thursday: Padres (Matt Waldron) at Rockies, 12:10 p.m. Friday: Off Saturday: Padres (German Marquez) at Diamondbacks (Mexico City), 3:05 p.m. Sunday: Padres (Michael King) at Diamondbacks (Mexico City), 1:05 p.m. View full article

While the 2026 season is barely three weeks old, it's never too early to look ahead to the San Diego Padres' next offseason. There are four Friars who are facing decisions on whether they should opt-out of their contracts or remain in San Diego for at least 2027. This on top of the six players whose contracts expire after this season: right-handed reliever Jason Adam, left fielder Ramon Laureano, left-handed reliever Adrian Morejon, right-handed starter Walker Buehler, infielder Ty France and infielder-outfielder Nick Castellanos. Additionally, outfielder-infielder Miguel Andujar, right-handed starter Griffin Canning, left-handed reliever Kyle Hart and right-handed starter German Marquez have mutual options for 2027. Mutual options are almost always declined. That means already 10 players could potentially depart the Padres. Four others control their future. Curiously, they are all pitchers. Right-handed starters Michael King and Nick Pivetta as well as left-handed relievers Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta all have contract provisions that allow them to opt-out of their deals following 2026. Of course, complicating all of this is the impending lockout, which will happen about month after these players have to make their option decisions and before major free agents typically sign. Let's review each player's situation with the rest of 2026 ahead of them. Michael King Contract: Signed three-year, $75 million contract prior to 2026 season. Decision: King has an opt-outs after this season and the 2027 season. After finding the free-agent waters a little frigid, King was a surprising returnee to the Friars' fold this offseason. The type of deal he got certainly reflects that, too. After making $7.75 million in 2025 after signing a deal to avoid his final trip through arbitration, King is making a very affordable $9 million this year, then jumping up to $32 million in 2027 and $34 million in 2028. In other words, the 30-year-old King is basically on a prove-it deal this year after experiencing a couple of injuries in 2025, but has the safety net in place should he underperform or have more injury issues. He is off to a good start in 2026, with a 3.69 FIP (2.78 ERA) in four starts. As one of the key pieces acquired in the Juan Soto trade with the New York Yankees following the 2023 season, King has pretty much been what the Padres were seeking: a front-of-the-rotation starter. A healthy season with his typical production would make King one of the top free agents next offseason. King was No. 12 on The Athletic's big board last offseason and that was coming off only 15 starts due to the long thoracic nerve injury that weakened his right shoulder and knee inflammation upon his return. Depending on how his season goes, he could simply return to the Padres and make $32 million next season or he could get contracts in the range from Framber Valdez (three years, $115 million, $38.3 million average annual value) to Ranger Suarez (five years, $130 million, $26 million AAV) to former Friar Dylan Cease (seven years, $210 million, $30 million AAV). Nick Pivetta Contract: Signed a four-year, $55 million contract just before the start of the 2025 season. Decision: Like King, Pivetta has opt-outs each of the next two offseasons. Unlike King, Pivetta's deal was essentially a two-year pact with the third and four years, at $14 million each, as insurance for Pivetta should something go wrong. And now something has gone wrong. Pivetta, who made a very team-friendly $2.5 million in 2025 and is earning $20.5 million this year, went on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right elbow. How long Pivetta is sidelined is still being determined, but the mood in the Padres' clubhouse was reportedly somber after the diagnosis. The 33-year-old entered the season as the No. 1 in the rotation and started Opening Day for the first time in his 10-year career. He finished sixth in voting for the NL Cy Young Award last year with a 3.49 FIP (2.87 ERA). His spring was interrupted briefly by arm fatigue, a typical affliction for pitchers during camp, but now potentially a warning sign for his elbow issues. A healthy and productive 2026 would have set Pivetta up for a big contract, albeit probably in the four-year range due to his age, as he hadn't had any noteworthy injuries previously. If this is a relatively short-term injury, Pivetta can still recoup any lost value by pitching anywhere close to what he did in 2025. But if it is more serious, including possibly needing Tommy John surgery, the decision to stick with the Padres through the end of the contract will be a no-brainer. Yuki Matsui Contract: Signed a five-year, $28 million deal prior to the 2024 season. Decision: Matsui has opt-outs after this season and the 2027 season, with a clause that allows the final year to be converted to a club option if he sustains a serious elbow injury. The 30-year-old left-hander out of Japan is making $5.75 million this season, with his player option for 2027 at $6.5 million and for 2028 at $7 million. He has been a valuable member of the Padres' bullpen, but not at the closer level that was anticipated when he initially signed. In fact, he has only had five chances to close out a game, going 0-for-4 in 2024 and converting his only opportunity in 2025. That doesn't mean has hasn't been good. He has had a FIP of 3.92 and 4.87 in each of his first two seasons (ERAs of 3.73 and 3.98), but his 11.3% career walk rate is three percentage points higher than the MLB average, which doesn't bode well for a prospective high-leverage reliever, while his 24.6% strikeout rate is above average by 2.2 percentage points. Matsui's 2026 season has been delayed by a strained left groin, but he should be returning shortly. MLB teams aren't afraid to pay for quality relievers, with closers earning about $15-20 million a year on the open market and key set-up relievers getting about $10 million. With his salary climbing in each of the next two years, it is unlikely that he will get more via free agency unless he reduces his walk rate and becomes a more reliable late-inning option. Wandy Peralta Contract: Signed a four-year, $16.5 million contract before the 2024 season. Decision: Peralta has a player option this offseason for the final year of his contract. In his 11th season, Peralta is scheduled to make $4.45 million in 2027, the same figure he is making this year. He has also had player options for each of the last two offseasons. The 34-year-old left-hander has been very reliable as a middle reliever throughout the bulk of his career and made a career-high 71 appearances in 2025. He had a 3.62 FIP (3.14 ERA), better than the 4.44 (3.74) marks for his career. Considering Peralta has exercised his options to stay in San Diego each of the last two offseasons, coming back for his modest salary would seem to be the move here. His career walk and strikeout rates are just a bit below average, but nothing he isn't used to working around. To compensate, Peralta has allowed an opponent OPS of .692, which is better than the MLB average of .731. View full article

It is official: Matt Waldron is back. As has been expected since Opening Day starter Nick Pivetta went on the injured list Tuesday, Waldron was activated from the 15-day injured list in order to start Friday's series opener against the Los Angeles Angels. Right-handed reliever Alek Jacob, who came up from Triple-A when Pivetta went on the IL, was sent back to El Paso. Waldron had been a candidate to make the Friars' rotation out of spring training, but that was interrupted when he required hemorrhoid surgery on Feb. 24. He was back pitching a couple weeks later, but with the additions of right-handed starters Walker Buehler and German Marquez, the Padres could slow play Waldron's return by putting him on the IL to start the season. Waldron has been on a rehab assignment at El Paso since the Triple-A season began and has performed very well. He made three starts for the Chihuahuas, tossing 12 scoreless innings, giving up seven hits and a walk against 12 strikeouts. Waldron's stay on the roster will depend on how well he performs as he is out of minor-league options. Jacob appeared in one of the three games he was active for, throwing two scoreless innings in Wednesday's 7-6 comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners. View full rumor

The success of Ty France has left no room for Sung-Mun Song on the San Diego Padres' roster. As such, with Song's rehab assignment having expired, the infielder from South Korea was activated from the 10-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A El Paso. Song had reinjured his oblique in spring training following an offseason incident in mid-January. That landed him on the injured list to begin the season. He ramped up at El Paso, playing second base, third base and shortstop. In 16 games on the rehab assignment, which began March 27, Song posted a .276/.364/.310 slash line with no home runs and 10 RBIs. He was signed to a four-year, $15 million contract in December following nine seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization and looked at as the primary infield backup going into spring training. Song opened eyes the last two years with slash lines of .340/.409/.518 in 2024 and .315/.387/.530 in 2025. He combined for 45 homers and 46 stolen bases in those two seasons. France, the former San Diego State star, earned the last bench spot with his strong spring, then has continued that into the regular season. France, who started his career with the Padres in 2019, is slashing .273/.333/.455 with one homer and one RBI while playing in eight of the Friars' 18 games. The reigning AL Gold Glove first baseman is somewhat limited positionally, though, which is a big reason why right fielder and former shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. played second base in back-to-back games over the weekend. France can play second or third, but is not very strong defensively there. View full rumor

The San Diego Padres could have a new owner as soon as next week. According to a report Thursday by Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the Seidler family is nearing a decision among a group of four suitors. The sale is expected to be for at least $3.5 million, which would eclipse the previous record for an MLB team of $2.42 million by Steve Cohen for the New York Mets in 2020. The four bidders are two owners of English Premier League men's soccer teams, Chelsea's Jose A. Feliciano and Everton's Dan Friedkin, and two NBA owners, Tom Gores of the Detroit Pistons and Joe Lacob of the Golden State Warriors and WNBA's Golden State Valkyries. The Athletic reported that each submitted final bids this week. The Padres were recently valued at $3.1 billion by Forbes, up from $1.9 billion a year ago. Peter Seidler, whose death in November 2024 set off this process, and Ron Fowler bought the Padres in 2012 for $800 million. View full rumor

In discussing his current status following a spring training setback in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, San Diego Padres right-handed starter Joe Musgrove had this to say: "[I don't anticipate having to] build up all the way to six (innings) and 100 (pitches) before I’m back, but they want to see me be good and like physically feeling like I’m recovering." Musgrove said that to the San Diego Union-Tribune a couple weekends ago as the team was in Pittsburgh. This was more than a month following his lone appearance in a game during spring training; he has yet to throw off a mound since. At this point, it feels like a return in June is the most optimistic scenario. When spring training began, Musgrove felt it was possible, even likely that he could be ready to make the Opening Day roster. Whether that was realistic is another thing. As with all pitchers, particularly starting pitchers, that would include a gradual ramp-up of his pitch total in each outing. That is without any further delays in his recovery in returning to the Padres' rotation. The buildup quote becomes more curious when you consider how the Padres handled Musgrove's only game appearance thus far. That came March 4 when the Padres faced Great Britain, a World Baseball Classic team, in an exhibition. Remember, this was his first game since having Tommy John surgery Oct. 11, 2024. It typically takes about 12-15 months to recover, sometimes longer. So, Musgrove was pretty much on schedule to resume a regular buildup. Against Great Britain, Musgrove threw 60 pitches, pitching into the third inning (with a re-entry after a lengthy first inning). No one really questioned that number of pitches at the time, at least not in the recaps from MLB.com and the Union-Tribune. That well may have been the plan going in. However, that number of pitches in not just a spring debut, but a first game back from Tommy John surgery felt reckless. No other Padres starter had thrown that many pitches in a spring training game to that point. The day before Musgrove's outing, right-hander Nick Pivetta threw 43 in his second start. A day after, right-hander Walker Buehler tossed 47 pitches in his first outing. The first non-Musgrove Friars starter to throw 60 pitches in an exhibition game was right-hander Michael King, who had 73 in his start three days after Musgrove's game. That was King's third outing. When it came time for Musgrove's second start, he wasn't ready to take the mound. The Padres said they were letting the situation play out, not an unexpected response. Musgrove's response felt more cryptic, especially knowing what we know now. "Right now, I’m just kind of day to day until I feel like I’m ready to take the mound. And when I tell them I’m good, we’ll be ready to go," Musgrove said. That was a little more than two weeks before Opening Day, so there was no real shot at avoiding the injured list to begin the season. But it is worth looking at whether the Padres put too much on Musgrove's plate for that one game. There was surely a conversation involving Musgrove, the medical staff and the coaching staff (manager Craig Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla), as well as A.J. Preller regarding how long Musgrove would be allowed to pitch that first game. However, 60 is more of a pitch total for a second or more likely third spring training start. Not the first coming back from Tommy John surgery in a game that doesn't matter other than to get back on the mound and see how you do and feel. And Musgrove did just fine. His velocity was right where it was before the surgery and he said he liked the shape of his pitches. For the other Padres starters, their pitch counts in their spring debuts were much less. Pivetta had 38 pitches, King 37, right-hander Randy Vasquez 31, right-hander German Marquez 37, right-hander Matt Waldron 24, left-hander JP Sears 30 and Buehler's 47 topping everyone else. Pitchers coming back from Tommy John surgery or a UCL internal brace repair also generally includes a slow ramp-up in the pitch count. Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 6, 2023, which was a similar date to Musgrove's procedure (Oct. 11, 2024). Now, not all recoveries are the same. Alcantara was ready to go at the beginning of spring training in 2025, when he was 29 years old. He had the following pitch counts in his five exhibition starts: 17, 30, 45, 57 and 50, coming close to 60 once but not going over. Alcantara then threw 91 pitches in his first regular-season start. Another example under different circumstances is Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who was coming back from his second elbow reconstruction. Due to his two-way status, Ohtani didn't have the luxury of an in-season rehab assignment. His buildup came in regular-season games and the Dodgers had more of an innings limit for each of his 14 starts before the postseason. In his first five starts, his pitch count ranged from 18 to 38, the last one his first outing of three innings. The 31-year-old's next three starts were 46, 56 and 53 pitches before moving to four innings and hitting 54. It wasn't until his ninth start that Ohtani surpassed 60 pitches, jumping up to 80 in 4⅓ innings, his longest outing yet. Musgrove is 33, no longer young in baseball years but also not truly old by that same standard. Players always want to rush back to be part of the team, to be part of the action and contribute. That is where the medical staff and coaches generally come in and tell a player they need to slow down. We don't know what those conversations were, so we can't point to any single source for why Musgrove was allowed to throw 60 pitches in his first outing in 17 months. Musgrove is competitive and his adrenaline certainly had to be pumping for that otherwise meaningless exhibition game. Maybe the Padres told him he had six outs to get vs. Great Britain. That is what he got. But there has been a price to pay for that decision. No one knows whether the same situation—a setback in his recovery of at least two months, maybe more—would have arisen had he thrown only half of those pitches. After all, 15 pitches is about average per inning for a pitcher, meaning 30 would have been a good ballpark for two innings. But when your franchise pitcher, the one who authored the first no-hitter in team history, is coming back from a major injury, you want to make sure to protect your investment. In this case, that wasn't done. View full article

Jagger Haynes struck out five over five innings in San Antonio's 7-2 loss at Midland. Clay Dungan homered and drove in two as El Paso fell to Round Rock 6-4. Kavares Tears belted a two-run home run in the seventh for Fort Wayne, which dropped a 13-4 decision to Lake County. Winyer Chourio spun three scoreless innings with five strikeouts in Lake Elsinore's 5-4 11-inning defeat at Stockton. Padres Transactions San Diego Padres recalled RHP Alek Jacob from El Paso Chihuahuas. San Antonio Missions activated OF Albert Fabian. San Antonio Missions transferred RHP Manuel Castro to the Development List. 1B Leandro Cedeño assigned to San Antonio Missions from ACL Padres. TWP Tucker Musgrove assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from ACL Padres. Lake Elsinore Storm placed C Ty Harvey on the 7-day injured list retroactive to April 13, 2026. C Yoiber Ocopio assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres. Bowen, Dungan Homer, But El Paso Falls To Round Rock 6-4 The El Paso Chihuhuas built a 4-1 lead through three innings before Round Rock came back to win 6-4 on Tuesday. Clay Dungan was El Paso's offensive standout, going 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in the second inning to push the lead to 3-1. Jase Bowen had opened the scoring with a solo home run on the first pitch of the game for his team-leading fourth homer, and Nate Mondou added a sacrifice fly in the third to make it 4-1. Round Rock answered in the fifth, tying the game at 4-4. The Chihuahuas' bullpen was tested throughout, with no single pitcher working more than two innings. Evan Fitterer started and worked two innings, allowing one earned run on three hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Justin Yeager was charged with the loss after allowing two runs in the eighth inning on a two-run double, putting the Express ahead 6-4. El Paso left 12 runners on base and struck out 13 times. Left-hander Yuki Matsui made another rehab appearance, allowing one hit and one walk with one strikeout. El Paso Chihuahuas Batting Name AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB Jase Bowen 5 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 Carlos Rodríguez 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Sung-Mun Song 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Marcos Castañon 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Nate Mondou 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Nick Solak 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Rodolfo Durán 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Clay Dungan 4 1 3 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 Mason McCoy 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals 33 4 7 0 0 2 4 3 13 0 El Paso Chihuahuas Pitching Name IP H R ER BB K Pitches Note Yuki Matsui 1 1 0 0 1 1 16 Justin Yeager 1 2 2 1 0 2 25 L, 1-2 Omar Cruz 1 1 1 1 1 2 30 Ethan Routzahn 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 1 30 BS, 1 Misael Tamarez 1 2/3 1 2 2 3 2 41 H, 2 Evan Fitterer 2 3 1 1 2 2 46 Haynes Has Solid Start, But Missions' Bullepn Falters In 7-2 Loss San Antonio fell to Midland 7-2 in a game shortened to seven innings thanks to a 2½-hour rain delay, with Romeo Sanabria providing a first-inning spark that was ultimately undone by a five-run sixth. Sanabria hit a two-run home run in the first inning, scoring Ethan Salas, to give San Antonio a 2-0 lead. Jagger Haynes kept that lead intact for five innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, one walk, and striking out five. Haynes held Midland to one run in the first inning and one more in the third before exiting after five. The sixth inning proved decisive as Midland scored five runs on four hits and three walks. Salas went 2-for-4 and scored a run. Albert Fabian went 2-for-3. Sanabria also drew a walk to go along with his first home run of the season, but San Antonio managed just six hits overall and left 13 runners on base. San Antonio Missions Batting Name AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB Ethan Salas 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Ryan Jackson 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Romeo Sanabria 2 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 1 0 Tirso Ornelas 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Leandro Cedeño 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Kai Murphy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Braedon Karpathios 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Luis Verdugo 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Albert Fabian 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Francisco Acuna 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 26 2 6 0 0 1 2 2 7 0 San Antonio Missions Pitching Name IP H R ER BB K Pitches Note Jagger Haynes 5 3 2 2 1 5 80 Michael Flynn 0 4 5 5 2 0 18 L, 0-1 Andrew Moore 1 0 0 0 1 0 12 Tears' Home Run Headlines Fort Wayne's 13-4 Loss Fort Wayne rallied for four runs in the seventh inning, but could not overcome a nine-run deficit as Lake County beat the TinCaps 13-4. Maikel Miralles allowed five earned runs on five hits in four innings, walking two and striking out three. He was charged with the loss. The TinCaps' only significant offensive action came in the seventh. Kavares Tears hit a two-run home run to trim the lead to 9-2, and Fort Wayne added two more in the inning. Lamar King Jr. scored on a Rosman Verdugo groundout, and Kasen Wells singled in Jack Costello to round out the four-run frame. Tears finished 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Wells went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Alex McCoy had two hits in three at-bats and scored a run. Fort Wayne's pitching staff issued 11 walks. Lake County scored four runs in the third, three in the fifth and four more in the seventh. Fort Wayne TinCaps Batting Name AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB Zach Evans 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Dylan Grego 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Carlos Rodriguez 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Alex McCoy 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Kavares Tears 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 Lamar King Jr. 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jack Costello 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Rosman Verdugo 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Kasen Wells 4 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Totals 36 4 8 0 0 1 4 2 9 0 Fort Wayne TinCaps Pitching Name IP H R ER BB K Pitches Note Vicarte Domingo 0 2/3 2 4 4 3 0 30 Will Varmette 0 2/3 1 0 0 2 2 29 Maikel Miralles 4 5 5 5 2 3 62 L, 0-1 Bernard Jose 1 2/3 4 4 4 4 2 44 Clark Candiotti 1 1 0 0 0 1 20 Storm Rally, But Come Up Short In 11 Innings 5-4 Lake Elsinore overcame a three-run deficit to tie the game in the eighth inning and took the lead in the 10th, but Stockton scored on a wild pitch in the 11th to hand the Storm a 5-4 loss in extra innings. Starter Winyer Chourio was the standout on the mound, working three scoreless innings with five strikeouts and walking four. Daichi Moriki took the loss in the 11th when a wild pitch allowed the zombie runner, now on third base, to score and give Stockton the walk-off win. The eighth-inning comeback was led by Kale Fountain, who singled to score Conner Westenburg, and Truitt Madonna, who singled to score Fountain and brought the Storm within one. Bradley Frye also scored in the inning to complete the 3-3 tie. In the 10th inning, Fountain served as the zombie runner on second base, and Madonna drove him home with a sacrifice fly to put Lake Elsinore ahead 4-3. Westenburg went 2-for-3 with a run scored, three stolen bases, and a walk. Madonna drove in two runs in one at-bat, and Fountain scored twice. Lake Elsinore Storm Batting Name AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB Ryan Wideman 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Kale Fountain 5 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Bradley Frye 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Victor Duarte 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Truitt Madonna 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 Jorge Quintana 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Justin DeCriscio 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 George Bilecki 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Kerrington Cross 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Luke Cantwell 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Conner Westenburg 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 Totals 36 4 7 0 0 0 3 5 10 4 Lake Elsinore Storm Pitching Name IP H R ER BB K Pitches Note Brandon Langley 2 2 2 2 0 3 33 Rordy Mejia 1 1/3 2 1 1 2 0 35 Winyer Chourio 3 1 0 0 4 5 66 Ethan Long 2 1 1 0 0 2 30 Will Koger 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 4 27 Daichi Moriki 0 1/3 0 1 0 1 0 11 L, 0-1 Padres Top-20 Prospect Performance Kash Mayfield: DNP Ethan Salas: 2-for-4, R Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Bradgley Rodriguez: DNP Humberto Cruz: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Ty Harvey: DNP Jorge Quintana: 0-for-5, 2 K Kale Fountain: 1-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 K Ryan Wideman: 0-for-5, 2 K Jagger Haynes: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-4, R Romeo Sanabria: 1-for-2, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K Truitt Madonna: 1-for-1, 2 RBI, SB Michael Salina: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Kavares Tears: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB Deivid Coronil: DNP Francis Pena: DNP Bryan Balzer: DNP View full article

The anticipated bad news became official Tuesday: Nick Pivetta is on the injured list. Now, how do the San Diego Padres adjust? Pivetta, the Padres' Opening Day starter, was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. He was removed from Sunday's start three pitches into the top of the fourth inning with what the team called stiffness in his right elbow. Right-handed reliever Alek Jacob was called up from Triple-A to take Pivetta's place on the roster. Jakob has 7⅓ scoreless innings in five appearances this season, but is strictly a reliever. However, that still leaves a gaping hole in the Friars' starting rotation. It is possible that Jakob is just a roster filler until Pivetta's spot in the rotation comes up Saturday vs. the Los Angeles Angels, when someone like right-hander Matt Waldron could be activated from the injured list. Waldron has been really good during his rehab assignment following his hemorrhoid surgery in spring training. In three appearances at Triple-A El Paso, where he has pitched 12 scoreless innings with one walk and 12 strikeouts. Waldron's rehab assignment only has less than two weeks remaining, so this would be the perfect opportunity to bring him back. The Padres were also connected Tuesday to free-agent right-hander Lucas Giolito, who is surprisingly still on the market. But with Giolito not settling for a cheaper, prove-it contract, his price tag might be a little out of the Friars' price range. Another option is left-hander JP Sears, who was optioned to Triple-A after not making the Opening Day roster. Sears has made three starts for El Paso, registering a 4.73 ERA with six walks and 11 strikeouts in 13⅓ innings. One more possibility would be left-hander Kyle Hart stretching out to a starter's role. Hart has been the long man in the Padres' bullpen, but with uneven results. In six games, Hart has a 3.73 FIP and 4.91 ERA in 11 innings. He has walked five and struck out six. View full rumor