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    Notes about the team are posted here.

    112 rumors in this category

      Matthew Lenz

      Right-handed pitcher Ryan Bergert, 25, is expected to be recalled by the San Diego Padres ahead of their Tuesday tilt against the San Francisco Giants. Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune shares that he is being pegged as the Padres' starter, which will be the first of his big-league career.

      This isn't Bergert's debut as he was first promoted in April where he threw four innings across four relief appearances not allowing a single walk or run, and striking two hitters. He has made 9 starts for Triple A-El Paso posting a 3.75 ERA (5.22 FIP)  and a 14.8% K-BB rate. It's unclear how temporary his spot in the rotation is but, at a minimum, he's tonights solution to a rotation who has lost Michael King and Yu Darvish to injury.

      Should the Padres be more aggressive on the trade market to address the injuries in the rotation or is backfilling with minor league depth the best route for now? Join the conversation in the comments!

      Steve Drumwright

      The San Diego Padres are riding with the new guys.

      Shortstop Xander Bogaerts was activated from the paternity list Friday, with a surprising counter-move: outfielder Bryce Johnson was designated for assignment. The Padres begin a nine-game road trip Friday with three games against the Baltimore Orioles.

      It would have seemed routine had the Padres sent infielder Will Wagner, the son of Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, back to Triple-A El Paso after he was called up Tuesday to replace Bogaerts, whose wife gave birth to the couple's third child. Two other choices might have even made sense with outfielder-infielder Samad Taylor or outfielder Jase Bowen, both recent call-ups.

      Instead, it was Johnson, the switch-hitting outfielder who was DFA'd after posting a .178/.229/.222 slash line with no homers and two RBIs in 32 games. The play of Taylor and Bowen, a pair of energy guys, has been solid thus far, in particular some noteworthy contributions by Taylor.

      Johnson, a good defender who can play any outfield spot, is the second player from the Opening Day roster who has been DFA'd, joining outfielder Nick Castellanos. There is a chance that if Johnson goes unclaimed, he could return to Triple-A.

      Matthew Lenz

      The San Diego Padres have added two members to their front office. Dennis Lin of The Athletic is reporting that Bud Black and Wil Myers will be joining the San Diego Padres organization.

      Myers will be a special assignment coach in player development, and Black will be a senior advisor to baseball operations. Both have previous ties to the organization - Black as a manager and Myers as a player.

      Black managed the club for 9 seasons from 2007 to 2015, posting a 649-713 record with zero playoff appearances. Myers, who played for Black, had a .781 OPS and 135 home runs across eight seasons with the Padres.

      What are your thoughts on these hires by the club? Let us know in the comments!

      Steve Drumwright

      Catcher Blake Hunt, a second-round draft choice of the San Diego Padres in 2017 who was involved in the Blake Snell trade, is returning to the club on a minor-league contract.

      A graduate of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, the 27-year-old Hunt spent the 2025 season in the Seattle Mariners' organization at Triple-A Tacoma. With the Rainiers, he put up a .272/.368/.452 slash line with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 68 games.

      Hunt played his first four professional seasons with the Padres, reaching Low-A Fort Wayne in 2019. He did receive a non-roster invitation to 2020 spring training, but the pandemic wiped away the minor-league season. That December, he was one of four players shipped to the Tampa Bay Rays for Snell. The others were catcher Francisco Mejia, right-hander Luis Patino and right-hander Cole Wilcox.

      Brock Beauchamp

      It's hard to predict how this offseason will unfold, as there is an increasing chance of (yet another) MLB lockout following the 2026 season. Will teams spend big this offseason, hoping to create surety in the face of an unknown collective bargaining agreement? Or will they be hesitant in hopes of a favorable outcome for ownership groups?

      No matter how it shakes out, teams will need to compete in the 2026 season, and they'll need to sign free agents this winter. DiamondCentric has compiled a complete list of free agents, sortable and searchable by pretty much any metric you need. Looking for a first baseman? A catcher? We have you covered. We offer two pages for your reference: one for position players, the other for pitchers.

      Free Agent Hitters In the 2025-2026 MLB Offseason

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      dc-initials.png Complete List Of 2025-2026 MLB Free Agent Hitters

      DiamondCentric.net
      Here is a complete list of free agent hitters in the 2025-2026 MLB offseason.

      Free Agent Pitchers In the 2025-2026 MLB Offseason

      pitchers.jpg

      dc-initials.png Complete List Of 2025-2026 MLB Free Agent Pitchers

      DiamondCentric.net
      Here is a complete list of free agent pitchers in the 2025-2026 MLB offseason.
      Steve Drumwright

      They are the four best words in baseball: pitchers and catchers report.

      Why? Because that signals the official start of spring training, bringing Opening Day that much closer.

      The San Diego Padres open camp in Peoria, Ariz., in just over three weeks, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 11 and the first full-squad workout Feb. 15. Oftentimes, players report early, depending on if they are coming back from injury or just want to get some extra work in with the coaching staff, but those are the mandatory report dates for the two groups.

      Those players who are participating in the World Baseball Classic have slightly earlier report dates. Pitchers and catchers, regardless of MLB organization, must report by Feb. 11 (same as the Padres) and position players by Feb. 12.

      The Padres' first exhibition game is Feb. 20 against the Seattle Mariners, the same team the Friars share the Peoria Sports Complex with. Technically, the Friars are the road team in that game, with their first home game Feb. 22 against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. In the annual Spring Breakout game featuring top prospects from both clubs, the Padres will face the Chicago Cubs on March 21 in Mesa, Ariz.

      The final exhibition game will take place in Peoria also against the Mariners on March 23.

      Opening Day for the Friars is March 26 vs. two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers.

      Steve Drumwright

      After surprisingly receiving a major-league contract this offseason, right-hander Daison Acosta is headed back to the minors before the season begins.

      The San Diego Padres announced Monday that the 27-year-old reliever had cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A El Paso. It had not been previously known that it had been designated for assignment. This leaves the Padres' 40-man roster at 39.

      Also, catcher Ethan Salas, the Friars' top position player prospect, was reassigned to minor-league camp. Salas had been a non-roster invitee to major-league camp.

      Acosta, who signed a one-year contract for the MLB minimum of $780,000 in early December, has spent his previous eight seasons in the minors, the first six with the New York Mets and the last two with the Washington Nationals. The Padres gave him that deal after Acosta finished the season with a 0.90 ERA in 26 games, striking out 46 in 30 innings at Double-A. But that came after he opened the season at Triple-A and put up a 5.57 ERA in 19 games.

      It could portend an outside addition or adding a non-roster player to the 40-man roster. The Friars also have another 40-man move to make before Opening Day, with Yu Darvish not pitching this season.

      Steve Drumwright

      Merrill Kelly had dreams of living on Coronado and pitching at Petco Park with the San Diego Padres for the next three years. But California's high tax rate ultimately made the difference in the right-handed starter choosing to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

      The 37-year-old said Monday on the "Foul Territory" podcast that the Padres initially had the better deal for three years, but the D'backs eventually increased their two-year offer to make it worthy of turning down the Friars to remain in the desert.

      Kelly wound up getting a two-year, $40 million contract from the D'backs with a vesting option for 2028.

      "I don't think it's any secret on how much money you get taken out of your pocket when you go to California. There were a lot of factors that went into the three-year deal. It was definitely enticing, it definitely made the decision a lot harder to come back here. But once Arizona, once these guys got to the number they did, it made a lot of sense to come back here."

      California has a tax rate of 13% on incomes $1 million and above, while Arizona as a flat rate of 2.5%.

      "I love San Diego," Kelly said. "Like I said, they take too much money out of my pocket. The taxes over there are a different level. We had my numbers guy run the numbers and it just made more sense to come home — which is crazy on a two-year compared to a three-year (contract)."

      Kelly said he was close to choosing the Padres, but is happy to be able to not leave his family in the Phoenix area.

      "It worked out best for us because that was honestly our second choice," Kelly said. "It was between here and San Diego going into the offseason."

      Brandon Glick

      The San Diego Padres haven't had a Gold Glove winner since 2023, when both Ha-seong Kim (UT) and Fernando Tatís Jr. (RF) when the award.

      That may not change in 2025, though Tatis has at least been named a finalist for the award in right field. He posted eight Outs Above Average, nine Fielding Run Value, and 15 Defensive Runs Saved in another banner campaign in the outfield. Among all qualified National League right fielders this season, those marks rank second, first, and first. The other finalists are Corbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks and Sal Frelick of the Brewers.

      The Padres have no other finalists for the award, which is disappointing, especially after the season that Xander Bogaerts produced at shortstop. He earned seven OAA and seven FRV in 2025, though his -4 DRS likely kept him out of the running at such a loaded position in the Senior Circuit.

      Gold Glove winners will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 2.

      Steve Drumwright

      Right-hander Riley Pint, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2016 draft, has a minor-league deal with the San Diego Padres. It is likely to include an invitation to spring training, which begins next week.

      Selected by the Colorado Rockies out of a Kansas high school, the now 28-year-old Pint didn't take the mound at all in 2025 in his only season with the Cleveland Guardians' organization due to an undisclosed injury.

      Pint had spent all of his previous career with the Rockies, but made only five MLB appearances over the 2023 (one game) and 2024 seasons (four) as a reliever. Pint's journey also included a retirement during the 2021 season, but he returned the following year. In his minor-league career, Pint put up a 5.30 ERA with two eye-popping rates of 7.6 walks and 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 193 games, including 40 starts.

      But Pint went to Driveline this offseason, which included a pro day in which he hit 97.4 mph on his fastball and a 95 mph sinker. He also threw a sweeper and a slider. Driveline helps train players through state-of-the-art techniques.

      He will definitely be an interesting arm to watch this spring.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The San Diego Padres' catching situation is back to full strength.

      Freddy Fermin was activated off the 10-day injured list just two weeks after sustaining a head contusion. Catcher Rodolfo Duran, who made his MLB debut after 11 seasons in the minors, was sent back to Triple-A El Paso.

      Fermin was hit in the mask by a foul from Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the July 2 game. While he stayed in the game for a few batters, Fermin was removed during a mound visit by manager Craig Stammen when he showed signs of the injury. This came about 10 days after Fermin returned from the seven-day concussion list.

      Fermin's two injuries plus Luis Campusano breaking his left big toe in early May and not returning until July 3 tested the Padres' catching depth. That led to Duran making his debut as well as Blake Hunt getting his first taste of MLB action after nine seasons in the minors. Duran at one point was the No. 1 catcher with Hunt his backup.

      Duran endeared himself to Padres pitchers with his defense and game-calling. However, he only had a slash line of .146/.222/.305 in 35 games, with three homers and eight RBIs. He allowed just 16 stolen bases in 27 chances, a very good caught-stealing rate of 40.7% (the MLB average is 24%).

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

       

      Following six straight losses, the San Diego Padres have lost two key players.

      Right-handed starter Randy Vasquez and catcher Freddy Fermin were placed on the 10-day injured list Friday by the Padres, who activated catcher Luis Campusano from the 10-day IL and called up right-hander Alek Jacob from Triple-A El Paso. Vasquez is on the IL with a bruised right ankle and Fermin with a head bruise. Campusano had been out since May 7 with a broken left big toe.

      Vasquez was injured in the first inning of Thursday's 12-7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers when he took a Mookie Betts smash off his right ankle. As he was heading to get X-rays, he fainted and was taken to a hospital in L.A., then was released Friday morning. Right-hander German Marquez, who pitched three innings of relief Thursday, can step into Vasquez's starting role.

       

      Fermin took a foul ball from Freddie Freeman off his mask and, a few pitches later, was on the mound for a conference when he started to exhibit signs of an injury and was removed from the game. Fermin spent time this season already on the concussion list, but this has been classified as a head bruise.

      Campusano will easily fill Fermin's shoes as the lead catcher with Rodolfo Duran the No. 2. Campusano had a slash line of .288/.362/.596 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 18 games before he was hurt. He appeared in two rehab games, going 2-for-6 with a homer, before being needed by the Padres.

      Jacob joins a Padres bullpen that needs a fresh arm after having to cover six innings Thursday due to a short start by Vasquez. He is up for the third time this season, but has pitched in just two games, allowing two runs in two innings with two walks and three strikeouts. In 34 games at Triple-A El Paso, Jacob has a 3.71 ERA with 17 walks and 34 strikeouts in 34 innings.

       

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      One new guy is set to debut, while another is on the shelf for a bit.

      The San Diego Padres activated right-hander Griffin Canning from the 15-day injured list before Sunday's start against the Chicago White Sox, while right-handed starter German Marquez went on the 15-day IL with nerve inflammation in his right forearm

      Canning has not pitched since rupturing his left Achilles in June while with the New York Mets. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Padres as spring training began and made five rehab appearances with Triple-A El Paso.

      With the Mets last year, Canning had a 4.04 FIP (3.77 ERA) in 76⅓ innings, with a 10.7% walk rate and 21.3% strikeout rate.

      Marquez has had a rocky start to his Padres career. He signed for one-year, $1.75 million at the same time as Canning did after a 10-year career with the Colorado Rockies. In six starts this year, Marquez has a 6.69 FIP (5.76 ERA) with 12 walks and 19 strikeouts in 29⅔ innings.

      Marquez started Friday and was roughed up by the Chicago White Sox, allowing seven runs on five hits with five walks and two strikeouts in five innings.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      With players from all around MLB getting ready to leave for their World Baseball Classic camps, there is one member of the San Diego Padres who will be sticking around.

      Left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui, who sustained a minor left groin strain a week ago, will not participate in the WBC with Japan, Matsui said Thursday. His status for Opening Day with the Friars is to be determined. Matsui is a key member of one of MLB's best bullpen's.

      “It’s pretty disappointing,” Matsui told assembled media through interpreter Ike Ogata. “Especially since I didn’t do so well at the last WBC and I was looking forward to playing in this one. But that’s not the only thing. It’s baseball. I’m trying to move on, to get the best preparation for the season and to play for the Padres.”

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

      A post shared by 97.3 The Fan (@973thefan)

      The 30-year-old was injured during a live batting practice session and knew then that he wouldn't be able to play in the WBC, but he and Japan wanted to wait to see how the recovery progressed before making his absence official. Matsui was replaced on Japan's roster by left-hander Yumeto Kanemaru.

      "Right now, I’m just continuing the throwing progression, throwing program, getting intensities and distances of (playing) catch back up,” Matsui said. “Once it’s good enough, good enough intensity, then I’ll start throwing off the mound. But as to when, we don’t know yet. … We’re not sure yet (about Opening Day)."

      Matsui, who has. 4.40 FIP (3.86 ERA) in his first two MLB seasons, will continue the rehab process at spring camp in Peoria, Ariz., and manager Craig Stammen said it could be beneficial to the pitcher and the team.

      "It also, on the bright side, allows him to ramp up for the season properly, we don't have to rush it," Stammen said. "He'll be here with us, with our trainers, our doctors to get ready. He's started throwing. We'll ease him back into competition and see how that shakes out by the end of spring training."

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

      A post shared by 97.3 The Fan (@973thefan)

      Matthew Lenz

      As the San Diego Padres have already announced a flurry of moves - most of which create voids on the 2026 roster - they now have a position to fill on their major league staff.

      Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that the Houston Astros have poached Padres hitting coach Victor Rodriguez for the same position.

      The announcement comes at a time when the Friars don't have a manager and don't see themselves particularly close to hiring one. Moreover, whoever is hired as the new manager could bring in their own staff, costing Rodriguez a job. It's that uncertainty that justifies the lateral move. He had one year remaining on his deal.

      In two years with the big league club, the Padres' offense posted two of the best team batting averages in the organization's history. However, their power production didn't follow suit. Notably, in 2025, the Padres finished with the third-fewest home runs in baseball after finishing with the 10th-most (ironically tied with the Astros) in 2024. It stands to reason that Rodriguez's hitting philosophy prioritizes putting the ball in play over power.

      How do you think this will impact the 2026 Padres? Let us know in the comments!

      Brock Beauchamp

      How To Install On iPhone or iPad
      How To Install On Android Device

      Developing a pure, native app for either Android or iOS is a breathtakingly expensive endeavor, which is why we haven’t done it, despite so many requests over the years. Thankfully, technology has met us halfway, and PWAs (Progressive Web Applications) have reached maturity in the marketplace.

      What is a PWA? It’s effectively a pseudo-app that works much like a native application but doesn’t require tens of thousands of dollars in development to produce. It creates a single browser instance and maintains it as if it were an application. It’s basically a standalone browser tab, dedicated specifically to Padres Mission.

      From this app instance, you can receive notifications; the typical browser interface is removed, and the site is presented clearly, using as much screen real estate as possible, all without sacrificing any functionality. The site is faster, more reliable, and offers more mobile functionality than a standard web browser.

      Additionally, a newer, completely updated Padres Mission is coming later this year, and that will add even more app-like features, making PWA usage even better for all our users.

      With that said, here’s how you turn Padres Mission into an app on your mobile device.

      How To “Install” Padres Mission on iPhone or iPad Using Safari

      First, go to the home page of Padres Mission at https://padresmission.com/.

      1. Tap on the ellipses (…) at bottom right of screen.
      2. Tap “Share” in pop-up menu.

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      3. Tap “View More”.
      4. Tap “Add To Home Screen”.
      5. Tap “Add”.

      ios2.jpg

      That takes you to your home screen on iOS, where you can move the Padres Mission app around, just as you would any other app.

      Additionally, you can turn on notifications for them. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://padresmission.com/notifications/options/.

      ios3.jpg

      How To “Install” Padres Mission on an Android Device Using Chrome

      First, go to the home page of Padres Mission at https://padresmission.com/.

      1. Tap on the vertical ellipses (…) at top right of screen.
      2. Tap “Share…” in pop-up menu.

      android1.jpg

      3. Tap “Add to Home Screen”.
      4. Tap “Install”.

      android2.jpg

      That takes you to your home screen on Android, where you can move the Padres Mission app around, just as you would any other app.

      Additionally, you can turn on notifications for the site. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://padresmission.com/notifications/options/.

      android3.jpg

      Steve Drumwright

      Samad Taylor, an infielder-outfielder who has seen MLB action with two teams, has reportedly signed a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres. Taylor also received a non-roster invite to spring training.

      The 27-year-old was a 10th-round draft choice by Cleveland in the 2016 draft out of Corona High School, about 90 minutes north of San Diego. Taylor was recently designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners and elected free agency.

      Taylor has appeared in 38 MLB games, including seven over the past two seasons with the Mariners. He made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Kansas City Royals, playing in 31 games. Taylor has a career slash line of .205/.272/.260 with no homers, four RBIs, and eight stolen bases.

      He was dealt by Cleveland at the 2017 trade deadline, with left-hander Thomas Pannone to the Toronto Blue Jays for right-hander Joe Smith. At the 2022 deadline, he was shipped to the Royals with right-hander Max Castillo for second baseman Whit Merrifield. Taylor was on the move once again in January 2024, going from the Royals to the Mariners for a player to be named, which became right-hander Natanael Garabitos.

      Taylor will battle for the last outfield spot on the Padres' roster with the likes of Tirso Ornelas.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Yuki Matsui is finally back with the San Diego Padres. But Jake Cronenworth is out for a brief period.

      Matsui, the left-handed reliever, who has been out since spring training with a strained left groin, was activated off the 15-day injured list Tuesday, while Cronenworth, the starting second baseman, went on the seven-day concussion list. Left-handed reliever Kyle Hart was optioned to Triple-A El Paso and infielder Sung-Mun Song was called up.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — San Diego Padres (@padres-mlbbot.bsky.social) May 5, 2026 at 2:30 PM

      Cronenworth's concussion is the most surprising of these moves. He did not appear to be injured in Monday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants.

      Matsui had seemed close to being ready for Opening Day during spring training, but he did not appear in a Cactus League game. So he began the season on the 15-day injured list and began a rehab assignment with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas a week later.

      At El Paso, Matsui made 11 appearances, allowing seven runs on 17 hits with three walks and 14 strikeouts in 17⅔ innings. In two of his final three games, he went two innings. In his two years in MLB, Matsui has a 3.86 ERA in 125 appearances, with an 11.3% walk rate and 24.6% strikeout rate.

      Song was called up as the extra player for the two-game Mexico City Series two weekends ago, but made only one pinch-running appearance. He was still recovering from an oblique injury at the start of the season and, once healthy, there wasn't room for him on the major-league roster, so he was optioned to El Paso. Now, he will fill in for Cronenworth at second base and make a case for him to remain on the roster. In 25 games at El Paso, Song had a .293/.364/.354 with one homer and 15 RBIs. His homer came in Sunday's game for the Chihuahuas.

      Hart had a 5.40 ERA in 12 appearances, walking six and striking out 10 in 16⅔ innings.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The San Diego Padres are getting a key bat back for the offense and an arm for the bullpen.

      Second baseman Jake Cronenworth was activated Monday off the seven-day concussion list by the Padres for the series opener against the Chicago Cubs. Also, right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez was called up from Double-A San Antonio. Right-handed reliever David Morgan was placed on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left knee and infielder Will Wagner was optioned back to Triple-A El Paso.

      Cronenworth has been on the concussion list since May 5, but the incident that led to his injury actually happened a couple weeks before that, but the symptoms did not initially present themselves, which affected his performance in that time. Cronenworth played in three rehab games at Triple-A over the weekend, including a full game on defense Sunday. While he went 3-for-12 at the plate, he did hit a home run in his first plate appearance Thursday. Cronenworth was slashing .144/.272/.196 with one homer and four RBIs in 32 games.

      Rodriguez was sent to the minors June 19 to simply give himself a breather during his first full MLB season. Rodriguez appeared in one game over the weekend at Double-A, throwing a perfect eighth inning Sunday with a strikeout.

      Morgan has pitched much better after being sent down in late April, spending more than a month at Triple-A. He returned at the beginning of June and has posted a 2.08 ERA over 8⅔ innings in seven games with two walks and 11 strikeouts. He had eight walks and 11 strikeouts in his first 8⅓ innings with a 9.72 ERA before his demotion.

      Wagner showed well in his brief time up this year. He came up June 9 and played in 16 games, producing a .257/.422/.286 with a double and no RBIs. He did draw 10 walks.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The San Diego Padres will be without one of their leverage arms until at least after the All-Star break.

      The Padres on Thursday put right-handed setup man Jason Adam on the 15-day injured list with a strained right shoulder. Right-handed starter German Marquez, out for two months with right forearm irritation, was activated from the 15-day IL before Thursday's series opener against the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

      No specifics were given as to when Adam was injured, although he did pitch the eighth inning of Monday's 3-2 walk-off loss to the Chicago Cubs. Adam allowed a run on two hits with a strikeout. That was his third appearance in four days and fourth in six days as the Padres' bullpen has had to cover for a starting rotation that has lacked quality innings.

      Adam has generally been good this season, although a tad erratic at times. In 36 appearances and 32⅓ innings, with a career-best 6% walk rate and a career-worst 16.4% strikeout rate. Adam had a 25.9% strikeout rate last year before his season ended with a quadriceps injury and his career rate is 27.7%.

      Marquez, signed just as spring training began to fill out the back end of the rotation after a 10-year career with the Colorado Rockies, struggled through six starts, putting up a 6.65 FIP (5.76 ERA) with a 9.4% walk rate and 14.8% strikeout rate. The walk rate is worse than his career mark of 7.3%, while his strikeout numbers are on par for his last two seasons, but below his career rate of 21.6%.

      Marquez could be in a relief role as his last two appearances on his rehab assignment at Triple-A El Paso were out of the bullpen.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Jeremiah Estrada's stay on the injured list wasn't very long.

      The right-handed reliever was activated from the 15-day injured list Friday by the San Diego Padres, who formally announced right-handed reliever David Morgan being optioned to Triple-A El Paso, which happened Thursday.

      Estrada, a vital piece of the Friars' bullpen, had been on the IL since April 10 with tendinitis in his right elbow. He made just two rehab appearances, one last Friday for Low-A Lake Elsinore and another Tuesday for El Paso. Estrada pitched one inning in each appearance and didn't allow a hit or a run, walking one and striking out two combined.

      Estrada's velocity, which in part led to his IL placement, was back to its regular upper 90s after being about 5 mph slower before going on the IL.

      Activating Estrada still leaves left-hander Yuki Matsui on the verge of returning from his strained left groin. Matsui's rehab assignment started April 4, meaning it runs through this weekend before expiring.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The long road back for Jhony Brito has officially taken him to Petco Park.

      The Padres called up the right-hander from Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday and optioned right-hander Alek Jacob back to Triple-A.

      Brito, one of the five players the Padres acquired from the New York Yankees in the Juan Soto trade in 2024, is back in the majors with the Friars for the first time since that 2024 season. Brito began the 2025 season by having an internal brace procedure on his right elbow and flexor tendon surgery that April. He began a rehab assignment in early May and pitched well in the minors before being activated from the 60-day injured list and being assigned to El Paso.

      In four starts for the Chihuahuas, Brito has a 0.96 ERA in 18⅔ innings with nine walks and 19 strikeouts.

      Brito is expected to make his season debut in a relief role Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, following starter German Marquez.

      Jacob was called up Friday and appeared in just one game, tossing a much-needed three innings in Monday's series-opening 8-0 loss to the D'backs.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      The San Diego Padres have a new top prospect. At least according to MLB Pipeline.

      Kruz Schoolcraft, the 6-foot-8 left-handed starting pitcher who was the Friars' top pick in last summer's draft, was named the No. 88 prospect in all of baseball as revealed on MLB Network on Friday. Schoolcraft was the only Padre on the Top 100 list. He was ranked 95th in the season-ending rankings by MLB Pipeline.

      Selected with the 25th pick in the first round out of Sunset High School in Portland, Ore., the 18-year-old pitched in just one game after being drafted, getting his feet wet with the Low A Lake Elsinore Storm. That would be the likely starting spot for Schoolcraft for the 2026 season. Schoolcraft was also a first baseman in high school, but he is focusing on pitching to begin his pro career.

      Catcher Ethan Salas, the Padres' top prospect after the trade of Leo De Vries to the A's in the Mason Miller deal, fell out of the Top 100 after being No. 77 at the end of 2025. In 2024, Salas was MLB Pipeline's No. 8 prospect in all of baseball.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Lucas Giolito era with the San Diego Padres is here.

      The Padres called up Giolito, a right-handed starter, from Double-A San Antonio to make his season debut with Sunday's start vs. the Seattle Mariners. Right-hander Alek Jacob was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to make room.

      Giolito was already on the Padres' 40-man roster after signing with the team April 22 for one year and $2.8 million. Since Giolito was not injured, he was optioned to the minors to get ready to join the rotation.

      Also, right-hander Jhony Brito began a rehab assignment at Double-A.

      The 31-year-old Giolito was the last of the major free agents from the offseason to sign and joins a Padres rotation that needs an upgrade. Following the injuries and setbacks to right-handers Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove, the Friars have mostly done fine in muddling through the first quarter of the season, but Giolito brings quality to the rotation.

      With the Boston Red Sox last season, Giolito posted a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts and 141 innings in which he had a 9.1% walk rate and 19.7% strikeout rate. Giolito missed all of the 2024 season following Tommy John surgery and didn't make his season debut until the end of April

      The Padres also had right-hander Matt Waldron go on the 15-day IL Friday with a right brachialis muscle injury. Waldron apparently had been dealing with the injury for the last few weeks but did not tell the team about it with his roster spot in jeopardy. Waldron replaced Pivetta, the Opening Day starter, in the rotation.

      Giolito made four starts in the minors, two with Low-A Lake Elsinore and two with Double-A San Antonio. Between the four, he pitched 17 innings and had a 4.76 ERA, allowing 11 runs (nine earned) on 18 hits with six walks and 18 strikeouts.

      Jacob came up Friday and pitched in Saturday's 7-4 victory over the Mariners, allowing two runs without recording an out. It was his second one-game call-up this year.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The late start to the season for Lucas Giolito has been interrupted.

      The San Diego Padres on Tuesday placed the right-handed starter on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right elbow. Left-hander JP Sears was called up from Triple-A El Paso.

      Giolito, the last of MLB's top free agents to sign, signed a one-year, $3 million contract April 22, nearly a month after Opening Day, and spent another three-plus weeks getting his arm in game shape in the minors. But he has been inconsistent in his seven games, which included the last two with an opener to try and give him a path to success.

      But Giolito has produced a 6.07 FIP (5.16 ERA), with career worsts of a 16.7% walk rate and 13% strikeout rate. His last start came in Sunday's series finale against the Texas Rangers, a 4-3 loss, in which Giolito lasted just four innings, giving up all four runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

      Sears, the other piece the Padres got from the A's in the Mason Miller deal at last year's trade deadline, has been in the minors all season. In 14 starts, Sears has a 7.92 ERA with 28 walks and 62 strikeouts in 63⅔ innings.

       

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