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      Steve Drumwright

      Yes, we know the caveat to this story. But still, this is what is going on as of now.

      The San Diego Padres will open Cactus League play against their Peoria Sports Complex co-tenant, the Seattle Mariners, on Feb. 19. That will technically be a road game. The Friars' first home game will be the next day against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

      All 30 MLB teams will play Feb. 19.

      Here’s a look at our 2027 Spring Training schedule 🌵

      [image or embed]

      — San Diego Padres (@padres.mlbbsky.com) September 4, 2026 at 11:34 AM

      Wrapping up Cactus League play, the Padres will host the Mariners on March 22. There will be one split-squad game, Feb. 26 against the two Chicago teams, at home vs. the Cubs and on the road against the White Sox (Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.).

      Times will be announced at a later time as will report dates for pitchers and catchers as well as position players for workouts in Peoria, Ariz.

      The caveat, of course, is whether owners and the MLB Players Association will have agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement in time to have a normal spring training. In 2022, the two sides agreed to a new CBA on March 10, three weeks before the scheduled Opening Day. In 2027, Opening Day is scheduled for March 25, when the Padres are to take on the D'backs at Petco Park.

      This will be the first spring training for new owners Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones.

      Steve Drumwright

      Needing more competition and depth for the starting rotation, the San Diego Padres have agreed to terms on a minor-league deal with left-hander Marco Gonzales, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

      Gonzales not only has an invitation to spring training, but would make $1.5 million if he makes the team with $1 million in incentives, Heyman reported.

      Set to turn 34 on Feb. 16, Gonzales has spent 10 seasons in MLB, including last year with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Due to a variety of elbow issues, Gonzales only made seven starts in 2025 with a 4.71 FIP and 4.54 ERA. The Pirates declined a $15 million option on Gonzales for 2026.

      The Friars' rotation currently is comprised of Nick Pivetta, Michael King, Joe Musgrove, Randy Vasquez, and JP Sears. All are right-handers except for Sears. Left-hander Kyle Hart and right-hander Matt Waldron are other options for the rotation already on the roster.

      Steve Drumwright

      In a move that suddenly gives the San Diego Padres a ton of outfield depth, infielder Sung-Mun Song was optioned to Triple-A El Paso, while outfielder Dustin Harris had his contract selected from the Chihuahuas. Right-handed starter Lucas Giolito was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL to create room for Harris on the 40-man roster.

      While solid defensively and having played everywhere but first base on the infield, Song has not contributed much offensively in his rookie season. The 29-year-old, who came over to the U.S. from the Korea Baseball Organization, has a slash line of .202/.305/.263 with one homer, 15 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 62 games. Song did not play at all over the weekend against the Minnesota Twins and is just 2-for-15 with two walks in August.

      Harris is with his third franchise this season, having been in the majors with the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros as well. He started the season at Triple-A for the White Sox, then called up for a week in early April before being designated for assignment. The Astros claimed Harris off waivers a few days later and spent three weeks on the major-league roster before being DFA'd again May 5. He was outrighted to Triple-A, but chose to become a free agent, re-signing with the White Sox on a minor-league deal May 12. The White Sox released Harris July 2 and he latched on with the Padres on July 8 on a minor-league contract, going to El Paso. Due to roster shuffling, the Padres released Harris on Aug. 5 and signed him again Aug. 7.

      Harris has compiled a slash line of .350/.422/.617 in 29 games for the Chihuahuas and .329/.407/.545 in 74 Triple-A games this year. In his two MLB stints this year, he has a .233/.333/.302 slash line in 17 games. He also played in 21 games over the 2024-25 seasons with the Texas Rangers, with a .217/.280/.435 slash line.

      Harris had two of his 12 Triple-A homers last week.

      Brock Beauchamp

      San Diego’s decision to exercise Ramón Laureano’s 2026 club option keeps a 2025 midseason addition rostered after one of the most productive years of his career. The option covers the 2026 season at $6.5 million. The 31-year-old Laureano split 2025 between Baltimore and San Diego, appearing in 132 games and accumulating 488 plate appearances. He finished the year with a .281/.342/.512 triple slash, along with 24 home runs and seven stolen bases. His overall offensive line translated to a .364 wOBA and 138 wRC+. 

      With the Padres, Laureano appeared in 50 games after his July 31 trade from the Orioles. In 198 plate appearances for San Diego, he hit .269/.323/.489 with nine home runs and three stolen bases. In San Diego, he posted a .347 wOBA and 127 wRC+, with a 6.6 percent walk rate and 23.7 percent strikeout rate.

      Defensively, Laureano continued to work primarily in the outfield corners. Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric graded him at -5 OAA for his time in San Diego. Over his combined time with Baltimore and San Diego, one defensive-value framework credited him with -8.7 defensive runs, while his overall WAR was 3.0. 

      Laureano’s season also included multiple injured-list stints. Baltimore placed him on the 10-day injured list on May 24 with a left ankle sprain and later activated him on June 6. After the trade, San Diego placed him on the 10-day injured list on September 27 with a right index finger fracture, before activating him again on October 3. 

      Steve Drumwright

      Needing a boost for the bench and another right-handed bat, the San Diego Padres are bringing in corner infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar on a one-year, $4 million deal, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman and ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal, reported Thursday, is pending a physical.

      Andujar, who turns 31 on March 2, will be in the mix as a right-handed bat at first base, a position he only has four MLB starts and seven games at. Three of those appearances at first came in 2025. He would be a platoon option at first with Jake Cronenworth and Gavin Sheets, both left-handed hitters, while also able to spell Ramon Laureano in left field.

      In 2025, Andujar turned in a solid performance while splitting time with the Athletics and then the Cincinnati Reds as a trade-deadline acquisition. He turned in a combined .318/.352/.470 slash line with 10 homers and 44 RBIs. Andujar, who made $3 million in 2025, was terrific after the trade, posting a .359/.400/.544 slash line, hitting four homers and driving in 17 in 34 games.

      That was his best offensive year since 2018, his rookie year with the New York Yankees. That year, he manned third base and slashed .297/.328/.527 with 27 homers and 92 RBIs, both still his career-best marks. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting to Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, pulling in five first-place votes.

      Andujar was particularly effective against left-handed pitchers with a .389/.409/.578 slash line with four homers and 11 RBIs in just 44 plate appearances. His numbers against right-handers weren't too shabby, either, putting up a .290/.331/.429 line with six homers and 33 RBIs. Overall, he had a 5% walk rate and 14.4% strikeout rate.

      The 94 games played and 341 plate appearances were his most since his rookie season, having battled a variety of injuries over the years, including knee and shoulder surgeries.

      The Padres were in need of a bench upgrade and Andujar's ability to play multiple positions makes a thin reserve unit much better.

      Steve Drumwright

      The San Diego Padres have already landed a big fish in their 2027 international class.

      Right-hander Yoel King, a 16-year-old Dominican who is already lighting up radar guns with 100 mph fastballs, has a pre-agreement to join the Friars in next year's signing class. The Padres are set to give King a huge signing bonus.

      A pre-agreement is nonbinding, but is typical of how signing international prospects works. King has made a commitment to the Padres. The next international signing window opens Jan. 15.

      King also looks like he could step into a rotation immediately. According to one video, he is already 6-foot-5 and has a very well-built frame for a player his age.

      King would represent a huge building block as the Padres need to replenish their farm system following numerous trades that have left the cupboard barren. The Padres are at or near the bottom of many system rankings by various outlets.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      After the news broke of Ethan Salas' promotion Monday, the move became official Tuesday as the calendar flipped to September.

      Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, officially had his contract selected by the San Diego Padres from Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday and is likely to make his MLB debut on the road against the Cincinnati Reds. Salas is the youngest player in the majors this year at 20 years, 92 days.

      Joining Salas on the Padres as rosters expand by two slots is right-hander Jhony Brito, who also comes up from the Chihuahuas. To make room on the 40-man roster for Salas, outfielder-infielder Luis Rengifo was transferred from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL.

      Brito made three relief appearances for the Padres in July. That capped a comeback from internal brace surgery and right flexor tendon surgery in May 2025.

       

      Brock Beauchamp

      We're looking for contributors to write Padres content over the offseason!

      First, feel free to reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@padresmission.com or reply to this article.

      Writing Articles
      If you’ve ever wanted an audience for your Padres takes, this is the perfect place. While we generally lean into analytics and analysis, we also take a “come as you are” approach to baseball and give writers a lot of leeway to write about the game in a way that interests them. That could manifest in historical pieces, previews, or regular series. It’s a matter of finding your niche in the fandom and carving out a space for it. 

      Making Videos
      We're also looking for videographers! Most of our content is on the shorter side (3-7 minutes), though we have space for plenty of different formats and ideas. Like the writing side of the site, we usually lean into analytics, but it's not the only path we're open to exploring.

      It is also noteworthy that we pay our content creators. It’s certainly not enough to quit your day job. So don’t do that. However, it might be enough to show that we value your time, talent, and effort.

      If you know someone who might be interested in creating Padres content as a side job, please share this with them!

      Brandon Glick

      Heading into Chicago to face a hostile crowd and the Cubs, the Padres were always going to have to get creative to win in the Wild Card Round.

      Their playoff roster has been released, and there's a few surprises, particularly at the catcher position.

      Catchers (3): Freddy Fermin, Martín Maldonado, Luis Campusano

      Infield (7): Ryan O’Hearn, Luis Arraez, Jake Cronenworth, Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, Jose Iglesias, Mason McCoy

      Outfield (4): Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Gavin Sheets, Bryce Johnson

      Starters (5): Nick Pivetta, Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, Michael King, Randy Vásquez

      Relievers (7): Robert Suarez, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan, Wandy Peralta, Bradgley Rodriguez

      So, Elias Diaz is officially out (hurt his oblique over the weekend), and Luis Campusano and Martin Maldonado are in. Neither backstop has been with the big league club since before the trade deadline...

      What do you think of the Padres' playoff roster? Are you surprised by any decisions made by Mike Shildt and the front office?

      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 have lost a second key bat from a struggling offense.

      The Padres on Tuesday placed left fielder Ramon Laureano on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation in his right hip. Outfielder Jase Bowen was called up from Triple-A El Paso and will be making his MLB debut. Bowen's call-up had been reported Monday. Right-hander Nick Pivetta (right elbow inflammation) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL to create room on the 40-man roster for Bowen.

      Laureano's slash line has plummeted to .203/.286/.374 with seven homers and 21 RBIs after a good start to the season, where he often batted leadoff. In May, Laureano posted a slash line of .133/.244/.280 with three homers and three RBIs. Laureano did not play in the series finale Sunday against the Washington Nationals.

      Bowen had a cycle in the opening week of the Triple-A season and a multi-homer game as well as an inside-the-park homer.

      The Padres enter the first game of a series against the Philadelphia Phillies with the worst batting average in MLB at .218.

       

       

      Steve Drumwright

      While it won't erase the bad feelings from a short stint in the playoffs, the San Diego Padres learned there is a small silver lining as MLB announced the distribution of postseason shares.

      The Padres will dole out $10,710.79 to 68 members of the 2025 team. Postseason shares are given to teams from the MLB pot, which this year was $128.1 million, and are based on how far each team advanced in October. As we all know, the Padres lost in three games to the Chicago Cubs in an NL Wild Card Series.

      The 68 shares go to players, managers, and select staff members eligible for the World Series or who were on the roster after June 1. Cash awards are given to other members of the organization. Executives are not eligible.

      The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers' playoff shares are $484,747.57.

      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

       

      The San Diego Padres are losing half of their catching tandem due to a broken toe.

      Catcher Luis Campusano was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday by the Padres with a fractured toe on his left foot. Catcher Rodolfo Duran was called up from Triple-A El Paso and will be making his MLB debut tonight after 11 seasons in the minors. Duran is starting at catcher and batting ninth in the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals.

      Right-handed starter Joe Musgrove (right elbow inflammation) was transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list to make room for Duran on the 40-man roster. The move is simply procedural from Musgrove's perspective as he isn't close to returning to the active roster.

      Also, infielder Will Wagner was activated from the 10-day injured list and optioned to El Paso, where he had been on a rehab assignment following a strained right oblique in spring training.

      Campusano fouled a ball off his foot in Tuesday's 10-5 win over the San Francisco Giants. He has been a surprisingly significant contributor to the Padres' offense while splitting time with Freddy Fermin. Campusano has a slash line of .288/.362/.596 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 18 games.

      Campusano has had the reputation of an offense-first catcher, but with questionable defense. That second part hasn't shown itself through the first month-plus of the season.

      The 28-year-old Duran is in his second season with the Padres at El Paso. He has a slash line of .238/.356/.429 with four homers and 20 RBIs in 23 games this season. A year ago, he posted a .288/.344/.503 slash line with 16 homers and 73 RBIs in 86 games.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      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.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Alex Verdugo era with the San Diego Padres never had a chance to take off.

      The Padres on Monday released the outfielder. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune said the left shoulder injury that Verdugo had sustained about a month ago will require surgery, which would sideline him the entire season.

      Verdugo signed a minor-league contract with the Padres at the beginning of March, perhaps with a chance to eventually contribute to the major-league roster. But that never materialized.

      The 29-year-old was released by Atlanta in July after posting a slash line of .239/.296/.289 with no homers and 12 RBIs. He didn't play in a minor-league game with the Padres.

       

      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

      Whether or not the 2027 MLB season begins on time is one question, but at least we know when games are supposed to start next year.

      The San Diego Padres will open 2027 with seven games at Petco Park, including Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondback on March 25. There will be one MLB game on March 24, a matchup to be determined. As it was this year when the San Francisco Giants hosted the New York Yankees, Netflix will be the exclusive carrier of the March 24 game. The traditional March 25 Opening Day is the earliest non-special event opener in MLB history.PADRES_2027_SKED.jpeg

      After that four-game Thursday-Sunday series vs. the D'backs, the Padres will host the Colorado Rockies for three games March 29-31 before hitting the road for six games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals from April 2-7.

      The Friars have their first series against the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers when they return home April 9-11.

      Among the other notable series is the Padres heading to Las Vegas to face the A's on June 4-6. They also have a scheduled doubleheader June 23 at Petco Park against the Chicago Cubs, then having two days off before beginning a road trip against the Toronto Blue Jays. Another scheduled doubleheader is July 10 against the Colorado Rockies in Denver on the weekend before the All-Star break.

      The All-Star Game is July 13 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

      The Padres conclude the 2027 season with a six-game road trip against the D'backs and Chicago White Sox.

      The start of the season is in doubt due to a probable lockout by owners as the collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Still looking for a bit of an upgrade on their bench, the San Diego Padres are taking a look at outfielder Austin Hays.

      According to multiple reports, the 31-year-old has signed a contract with the Padres. Hays was designated for assignment and then released Friday by the Chicago White Sox. Hays has a $6 million salary for this year, but the Padres will only be responsible for a prorated portion of the MLB minimum, making this a very low-risk move.

      Infielder Gage Workman, just acquired from the Detroit Tigers along with right-hander Casey Mize, was optioned to Triple-A El Paso.

      Hays, a right-handed hitter, is slashing .233/.250/.326 in 12 games this season. He has been on the injured list twice this season, first on the 10-day IL for a right hamstring strain (April 7-27), then the 60-day IL with a left calf strain (May 4-Tuesday).

      In his nine-year career, Hays has a slash line of .262/.312/.433 and has hit 15 or more homers four times, topping out at 22 in 2021.

       

       

      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

      While it has seemed like the obvious decision since the San Diego Padres began spring training, the team took its time in formally naming the Opening Day starting pitcher.

      Right-hander Nick Pivetta, the Friars' best pitcher in the 2025 season, was named the starter for Thursday's season-opening game at Petco Park against the Detroit Tigers and Tarik Skubal, the winner of the last two AL Cy Young Awards.

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

      A post shared by San Diego Padres (@padres)

      The 33-year-old Pivetta was a late signing last year, joining the Padres on a four-year, $55 million contract. He went on to have the best season of his nine-year career. In 31 starts, Pivetta went 13-5 with a 3.49 FIP (2.87 ERA), walking 6.9% of hitters and striking out 26.4%. That earned him sixth place in NL Cy Young Award voting.

      Pivetta had a brief bout of arm fatigue following his March 3 start, but only missed one turn in the rotation and started twice more, building up to 71 pitches in his final outing on March 20.

      "We're excited for Nick to get his chance to start Opening Day. He was our best pitcher throughout the whole entire last season. Was our No. 1 starter when we took on the Cubs in the Wild Card Series. He has pitched great in spring training, and he deserves to get the Opening Day nod."

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

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

      First pitch for Opening Day is 1:10 p.m. The remainder of the matchups for the Tigers series are Padres right-hander Michael King vs. Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez on Friday at 6:40 p.m. and Friars right-hander Randy Vasquez vs. Detroit right-hander Jack Flaherty. The Padres are off Sunday, then opening a three-game series vs. the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Right-handers Walker Buehler and German Marquez are expected to make their Padres debuts in that series.

      Steve Drumwright

      If A.J. Preller has a significant other, they might not be happy with how he has spent his Valentine's Day. However, San Diego Padres fans are at least enjoying Preller's work.

      In their third move of the day, the Friars are bringing in a second contender for the starting rotation, agreeing to a one-year deal with right-hander German Marquez, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Financial terms were not immediately available.

      The former Colorado Rockies ace's deal comes hours after right-hander Griffin Canning was added to the rotation competition by Preller, the Padres' president of baseball operations. Preller also cut a deal with first baseman-outfielder Nick Castellanos on Saturday.

      Like the other two, the Marquez deal is pending the pitcher passing a physical. The Padres entered Saturday with 39 players on their 40-man roster, so two corresponding moves, perhaps with injured players, will need to be made.

      He should benefit from the change of scenery from the pitcher-unfriendly Coors Field to Petco Park. Marquez had a rough 2025 in his first action since undergoing Tommy John surgery at the start of the 2024 season. He made 26 starts and posted a 5.47 FIP (6.70 ERA).

      Following a 3.28 FIP in an MLB-best 13 starts in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Marquez was an All-Star in 2021 and had a 3.86 FIP. In his 10-year career, all with the Rockies, he has a 7.2% walk rate and 21.8% strikeout rate.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      While he didn't fit with the San Diego Padres anymore, Ron Marinaccio has found a new home.

      The Padres on Thursday traded the right-handed reliever to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for international signing bonus money. According to MLB insider Francys Romero, the Padres received $500,000.

      Marinaccio was designated for assignment by the Padres on Sunday. He was the odd man out in the bullpen and was out of options when left-hander Wandy Peralta came back off the bereavement list.

      The 31-year-old, dealt from the Chicago White Sox in January 2025 after he was DFA'd for cash, had a 5.32 FIP (4.79 ERA) in 33 appearances with an 8.9% walk rate and 18.7% strikeout rate this season.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      The San Diego Padres are still looking to add to their roster with spring training set to begin in just a few days, and two reports say they were in play for two free agents who agreed to deals this week.

      The first was the top pitcher on this year's free-agent market, left-hander Framber Valdez. Valdez agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. Jon Heyman, an insider for MLB Network and the New York Post, said the Friars "showed late interest" while also mentioning the Padres first among teams who were in contention for the two-time All-Star and 2022 World Series champion with the Houston Astros. The Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles were the other teams, aside from the Tigers.

      Then, following first baseman Paul Goldschmidt agreeing to a one-year deal to return to the New York Yankees on Friday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic noted that the Padres "were a finalist" for the 2022 NL MVP. Goldschmidt's salary for 2026 is expected to be less than $5 million.

      This comes on the heels of the Padres bringing in corner infielder-outfielder Miguel Andujar on a one-year, $4 million deal Thursday. Whether Andujar was Plan B after possibly being notified that Goldschmidt was going back to the Yankees, or if the Friars would have taken both, is unknown.

      There are still budget-friendly rotation options available.

      Steve Drumwright

      The Seidler family will begin to accept initial bids for a sale of the San Diego Padres by the end of February, according to a report on Feb. 5 by The Athletic.

      This comes on the heels of a settlement in a legal battle between the widow of late owner Peter Seidler and two of his brothers. Peter Seidler died in November 2023.

      Among the top candidates mentioned in the report is Joe Lacob, owner of the NBA's Golden State Warriors and WNBA's Golden State Valkyries. Lacob has previously pursued purchasing the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels and the A's when they were in Oakland.

      Sportico reported Wednesday that two owners of English Premier League soccer teams have shown interest in the Padres. Dan Friedkin has ownership of Everton and AS Roma through his Pursuit Sports and Jose E. Feliciano is part of the Chelsea group through Clearlake Capital.

      The Athletic said the Padres, who were valued last year at $1.9 billion, were seeking a sale price of close to $3 billion, which would surpass the MLB record of $2.42 billion set when Steve Cohen purchased the New York Mets in 2020.

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