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      Steve Drumwright

       

      San Diego Padres right-handed starter Randy Vasquez was back at the team hotel in Los Angeles on Friday morning after fainting Thursday night.

      Vasquez was nailed on the right ankle by a comebacker off the bat of Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts in the first inning of a 12-7 loss. Vasquez not only stayed in the game and finished the inning, but he went two more innings before being removed. As a precaution, he was en route to getting an X-ray on the ankle when he fainted at Dodger Stadium, manager Craig Stammen said on MLB Network Radio. Vasquez was then taken to a hospital.

      "That's great news in what could have been a really scary situation and definitely caught everybody off-guard," Stammen said. "But glad Randy's doing well, and X-rays were negative and all the tests came back pretty clean."

      Due to the fainting spell, the X-rays were not taken. Testing will be done to determine Vasquez's injury status.

       

       

      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

       

      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.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      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.

       

      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

       

       

      Looking for a jolt in their moribund offense, the San Diego Padres are dipping down into the minors for some help.

      Outfielder Jase Bowen is set to be called up from Triple-A El Paso by the Padres to make his MLB debut before Tuesday's series opening against the Philadelphia Phillies, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel reported Monday. A corresponding move to get Bowen on the 26-man and 40-man rosters will be needed.

      The 25-year-old Bowen has been one of the Chihuahuas' best hitters all season, posting a slash line of .292/.362/.600 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs. His 13 homers are second in the Pacific Coast League and his 36 RBIs are tied for the team lead with Mason McCoy. Bowen notched his 13th home in Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes. Bowen also has seven steals in 11 chances.

      Bowen ranks in the top five in the PCL not only in homers, but in slugging percentage (.362), triples (5), extra-base hits (29), total hits (57) and runs (48).

      The Padres rank last in MLB with a .218 batting average and next-to-last with a .656 OPS.

      An 11th-round draft choice by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 out of Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio, the two-sport star turned down a football scholarship to Michigan State, where he would have been a wide receiver, to sign. Bowen joined the Padres this offseason on a minor-league contract after becoming a six-year free agent.

      In spring training, Bowen tied for the team lead with four homers and drove in 11 while also stealing a team-high seven bases.

      Who Bowen takes over for is another question. The Padres could opt to send infielder Sung Mun Song back down to Triple-A. Song has been a backup and late-inning defensive replacement at second base since Jake Cronenworth went on the seven-day concussion list May 5. It is not known when Cronenworth might return. Fernando Tatis Jr., the Platinum Glove right fielder, has been starting most of the time at second base. Two other possibilities are in the outfield. One would be a simple swap of Bowen for Bryce Johnson, the current backup outfielder. The other would solve both roster issues: designating Nick Castellanos for assignment.

       

       

      Steve Drumwright

      The San Diego Padres will be stuck in the Mud for a few more years.

      In this case, that's actually a good thing.

      Television analyst Don "Mudcat" Grant has agreed to a multi-year extension with the Friars, keeping one of MLB's top announcing teams together. The move was reported Thursday by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Don Orsillo, the team's play-by-play announcer for TV games, signed a multi-year extension last spring.

      Grant is a former right-hander pitcher who spent parts of four (1987-90) of his eight MLB seasons in a Padres uniform. He has been an analyst for Friars television since 1996, following his last in 1993. The Union-Tribune said Grant had been operating on a series of one-year deals. Orsillo has been calling Friars games since 2016.

      Together, they form not only an informative tandem, but a hilarious one as well. Grant is either providing most of the humor or the subject of it.

      They are scheduled to call their first game of the spring tonight at 6:10 p.m. on Friars.tv as the Padres play the Chicago White Sox.

      Steve Drumwright

       

       

      The San Diego Padres will be without their starting shortstop for the next few days.

      Xander Bogaerts was placed on the paternity list Tuesday, with the Padres calling up infielder Will Wagner from Triple-A El Paso.

      The paternity list allows a player to miss up to three days due to the birth of their child. The Padres continue their series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday and Wednesday, then are off Thursday before beginning a road trip Friday against the Baltimore Orioles. It is likely Bogaerts will rejoin the team Friday.

      In 63 games, Bogaerts has a slash line of .231/.303/.356 with eight homers, 27 RBIs and nine stolen bases.

      Wagner, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at last year's trade deadline, has slashed .255/.381/.382 for El Paso with three homers and 12 RBIs in 30 games. The start of his season was delayed due to an oblique injury. In 79 MLB games with the Jays and Padres the last two seasons, the son of Hall of Famer Billy Wagner has a .256/.329/.346 slash line with no homers and seven RBIs.

       

      Sung-Mun Song is likely to start at shortstop with Bogaerts out.

       

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      In a surprising development, the San Diego Padres are losing one of their more productive hitters.

      Designated hitter Miguel Andjuar was placed on the 10-day injured list before Monday's series opener against Atlanta due to a fractured right wrist. Catcher Rodolfo Duran was called up from Triple-A El Paso. A wrist fracture likely means Andujar is out at least a month if not more.

      Andujar, who went 0-for-4 with a walk, and Manny Machado (0-for-2, two walks), were the only Padres starting position players who did not get a hit in Sunday's 19-2 win in the series finale against the Kansas City Royals. Andujar began the game as the DH, but then shifted to third base when Machado was pulled in the eighth inning and then went to first base in the ninth. Andujar handled just one defensive chance, the game-ending groundout that he flipped to pitcher Wandy Peralta, who covered first base. He did not appear to be injured on the play.

      Andujar, signed in the offseason to be a key right-handed bat, has produced a .259/.303/.423 slash line with five homers and 22 RBIs and a team-leading 20 doubles. Depending on how the next two weeks sorted out, Andujar was a strong candidate to be traded before the Aug. 3 deadline.

      Duran's call-up likely means catcher Luis Campusano gets some time at DH, with Duran and Freddy Fermin splitting catching duties. Duran made his MLB debut this season after 11 years in the minors and had a .146/.222/.305 slash line with three homers and eight RBIs in 36 games.

       

      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

       

      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

       

      After a poor experience with the Milwaukee Brewers, infielder Luis Rengifo is getting a chance with the San Diego Padres.

      Rengifo, a second baseman-third baseman, has signed a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported Friday. Rengifo was released by the Brewers after putting up a .205/.280/.254 slash line with no homers and 19 RBIs in 57 games while starting at third base.

      Rengifo will report to Triple-A El Paso.

      The Brewers signed Rengifo to a one-year, $3.5 million contract just before spring training following the trade of Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox. The Brewers are on the hook for the remainder of the contract, except for the prorated minimum that the Padres will be paying Rengifo.

       

      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.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The San Diego Padres' pitching staff is a step closer to being at full strength, but will that be enough to snap out of their doldrums?

      Right-handed starter Randy Vasquez was activated from the 15-day injured list Sunday by the Padres, who also got left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta back from the bereavement list. That cost two players their roster spot: right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio was designated for assignment and right-hander Jhony Brito was optioned to Triple-A El Paso.

      Vasquez was hit on the right ankle July 2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and placed on the IL the next day with an ankle contusion. The night of the injury, Vasquez was being taken to get an X-ray at Dodger Stadium when he fainted and then taken to a hospital. He was released from the hospital the next morning and was back at the team hotel before the decision was made to put him on the IL. Vasquez did make one rehab appearance in the Arizona Complex League.

      After a strong start to his season, Vasquez has been a bit of an enigma since. In 17 games, he currently has a 4.91 FIP (4.71 ERA) with a good 7.3% walk rate and below-average 16.3% strikeout rate. Vasquez is not scheduled to pitch any of the first three games in Atlanta, meaning he could be coming out of the bullpen either Sunday vs. the Kansas City Royals or Monday against Atlanta before possibly rejoining the rotation later in the week.

      Marinaccio was out of options and posted a 5.31 FIP (4.79 ERA) in 33 games with a walk rate of 8.9% and strikeout rate of 18.7%. If he goes unclaimed off waivers, which feels unlikely, he can be outrighted to Triple-A.

      Brito pitched a scoreless inning in Saturday's 6-1 loss to the Royals, his third appearance this the last two weeks since coming back up following internal brace and flexor tendon surgery in April 2025.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      A freak occurrence has sidelined Freddy Fermin.

      The catcher was put on the seven-day concussion list Sunday by the San Diego Padres, who called up catcher Blake Hunt from Triple-A El Paso. Right-handed reliever Ty Adcock was designated for assignment to make room for Hunt on the 40-man roster.

      Fermin was injured in the sixth inning of Saturday's 9-3 win. As left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui was warming up, he spiked one of his pitches. Fermin turned his head as he attempted to stop it, but the ball ricocheted and hit him in the back of the head. He was removed from the game, replaced by Rodolfo Duran.

      Luis Campusano, the Padres' other main catcher, remains on the 10-day IL with a fractured big left toe.

      Fermin is the second Padre to currently be on the concussion list, joining second baseman Jake Cronenworth, where he has been since May 5. Fermin had been coming around with the bat recently, homering in three straight games. He has a .148/.243/.262 slash line with those three homers and 11 RBIs in 51 games.

      Hunt was slashing .289/.431/.533 in 15 games in the minors with three home runs and eight RBIs. His season was delayed by an oblique injury.

      Adcock was signed to a major-league contract in the offseason. An oblique injury in spring training sidelined him. In the minors, Adcock has a 7.15 ERA in 11⅓ innings over 11 appearances, with six walks and 15 strikeouts. He has appeared in 18 MLB games the last three seasons with the Seattle Mariners and New York Mets.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      MLB on Monday suspended San Diego Padres right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio three games and fined an undisclosed amount for hitting Baltimore Orioles star shortstop Gunnar Henderson with a pitch in Saturday's game.

      Marinaccio is appealing his suspension, so will remain on the active roster until that is heard.

      Padres manager Craig Stammen was also suspended one game. Managers can't appeal, so Stammen will sit out Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Bench coach Randy Knorr will run the team instead.

      The incident came with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

      In the top of the fifth, Padres star shortstop Xander Bogaerts was hit in the left earflap of his helmet by a pitch from Orioles right-handed starter Trey Gibson. Bogaerts had to leave the game an inning later after feeling woozy. No penalty was issued to Gibson.

       

      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

       

      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

       

      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.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Baseball's best closer will be away from the San Diego Padres for a few days.

      Right-hander Mason Miller was placed on the bereavement-family medical leave list Monday by the Friars, who called up left-hander Kyle Hart from Triple-A El Paso. Also, outfielder Bryce Johnson, who was designated for assignment Friday, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A.

      The Padres open a three-game road series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

      Miller is second in MLB with 19 saves in 19 chances with a 0.37 FIP (0.90 ERA) after earning a four-out save in Sunday's 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Miller, who fanned three Sunday, has 59 strikeouts in 30 innings, has an incredible 51.8% strikeout rate.

      Hart is with the Padres for a second time this season after making the Opening Day roster. In 12 MLB appearances and 16⅔ innings this year, Hart has a 3.35 FIP (5.40 ERA) with an 8.8% walk rate and 14.7% strikeout rate. At Triple-A, Hart has pitched 14⅔ innings over 11 games for a 7.36 ERA, with nine walks and 15 strikeouts.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      After missing the St. Louis Cardinals series, Mason Miller is back with the San Diego Padres.

      The superstar right-handed closer was activated off the bereavement-family medical emergency leave list Friday. In a somewhat surprising move, right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez was optioned to the Arizona Complex League.

      Details behind Miller not being with the team have not been revealed as of this writing. Miller is second in MLB with 19 saves and has a 0.90 ERA.

      Rodriguez, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, was assigned to the rookie-level team in order to get some planned rest. Rodriguez is a rookie who made his MLB debut last season, appearing in seven regular-season games, then was included on the postseason roster for the NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs.

      He has been a key member of a very good Friars bullpen. In 31 games and 34⅓ innings, Rodriguez has a 2.66 FIP (2.10 ERA) with an 8.3% walk rate and 22.2% strikeout rate.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Just as the San Diego Padres' offense appears to be picking up steam, they get back one of their key bats.

      Designated hitter Miguel Andujar was activated off the 10-day injured list Sunday by the Padres, with outfielder Nick Solak designated for assignment. Andujar missed the minimum time while dealing with a minor strain of his left hamstring.

      Andujar, a key right-handed bat, was slashing .254/.288/.418 with five homers and 17 RBIs when he went on the IL. His 12 doubles are just one off the team lead, shared by Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill and Gavin Sheets, despite playing 20 fewer games than two of those players.

      Solak came up from Triple-A El Paso when Andujar went on the IL. He appeared in four games and went 1-for-7 with a walk and an RBI.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Reaper is heading to the All-Star Game.

      Right-handed closer Mason Miller was the only San Diego Padres player selected Saturday to the NL roster for the All-Star Game on July 14 at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.

      Miller, in his first full season with the Padres after being acquired at last year’s trade deadline, is an All-Star for the second time in his four-year career, having also been picked in 2024. Miller is tied for the NL lead in saves with 21 without blowing a save. Jhoan Duran of the Philadelphia Phillies and Riley O’Brien of the St. Louis Cardinals also had 21 entering Saturday.

      Miller has struck out an amazing 50% of the hitters he has faced. Miller has not allowed an extra-base hit all season and has five of his 14 career four-out saves this year. He has a 0.78 ERA and a .136 opponent batting average in 34⅔ innings.

      The nine starters for each team were determined by two rounds of fan balloting, with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement getting automatically selected to start by virtue of leading the first round in the NL and AL, respectively.

      The 23 reserves, which includes 12 pitchers as that position is not up for voting, are selected by player voting and the Commissioner's Office, which ensures that each team has a representative in the game.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

       

      The San Diego Padres will be without a key reliever to begin their most important road trip thus far in 2026.

      Left-hander Wandy Peralta was put on the bereavement list Wednesday by the Padres, who called up right-hander Jhony Brito from Triple-A El Paso.

      Peralta can be away from the team for up to three days, although with the All-Star break lasting through Thursday, it isn't clear when Peralta must return to the team. Peralta could miss just one game or the entire series against the Kansas City Royals. Peralta has a 3.93 FIP (2.23 ERA) across 41 outings, second-most on the team, and 48⅓ innings. He has a 9.6% walk rate and 15.7% strikeout rate.

      Brito returned to the Padres on July 7 following an internal brace procedure and flexor tendon surgery from April 2025. He appeared in two games, pitching 4⅓ innings and allowing two runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts, before being sent down just Saturday. One of the hits he allowed was a homer.

       

       

      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%).

       

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