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  • MLB Notes

    Read quick notes on the San Diego Padres big league club, including injuries, lineup changes and roster moves.

    142 rumors in this category

      Steve Drumwright

       

      One of the San Diego Padres' subtle offensive contributors will be sidelined for a bit.

      Designated hitter-third baseman Miguel Andujar was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday by the San Diego Padres due to a strained left hamstring. Outfielder-DH Nick Solak was called up from Triple-A El Paso to take his place. The Padres had an opening on their 40-man roster after outfielder Bryce Johnson was designated for assignment Friday.

      Andujar injured his hamstring in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the New York Mets on a seventh-inning single. While he originally stayed in the game, he was removed, with Johnson pinch-running for him. Andujar did have pinch-hit appearances Tuesday and Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds, replaced by pinch-runner Jase Bowen after drawing a walk Tuesday. It is the same hamstring that bothered Andujar earlier in the season.

      Solak is the fourth member of the Chihuahuas to come up in the past two weeks, joining outfielder-infielder Samad Taylor, outfielder Jase Bowen and infielder Will Wagner. Solak has a good track record offensively, but has been a liability defensively, particularly when he was playing second base. He has stuck to corner spots (first base, left field, right field) in recent seasons. This year at El Paso, Solak was slashing .333/.412/.512 with nine homers and a team-high 40 RBIs. His .333 batting average is the highest among players currently in the Pacific Coast League and has reached base in 17 of his last 18 games.

      Solak has 259 games of MLB experience since making his debut in 2019 with a career slash line of .250/.325/.369 with 21 homers and 93 RBIs.

       

       

      Matthew Lenz

      The coaching carousel is often associated with NCAA football coaches and coordinators, though Major League Baseball seems to have a carousel of its own. While it's common for coaches to move to improve their roles, it seems the Padres may be losing a coach making a lateral move.  

      Tim Britton of The Athletic is reporting that the New York Mets have interviewed San Diego Padres third-base, infield, and base-running coach Tim Leiper for a coaching role. While the role he interviewed for has not been confirmed, Andy Martino of SNY reported that the Mets are close to hiring a third base coach—it's not hard to connect the dots and think Leiper may be the unnamed coach.

      Leiper, who got his start in the Mets organization in 1996, joined the Padres organization ahead of the 2024 season. Previously, Leiper had been coaching in various organizations at multiple Minor League levels before becoming the first base coach for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2014 to 2018.

      Detailed in a 2016 article by Canadian Baseball Network's J.P. Antonacci, Leiper's coaching philosophy centers on preparation and player relationships. In the article, he's quoted as saying, " You’re trying to find a way to put a puzzle together and win a game..." His style is highly analytical, involving the study of opposing pitchers' movements to find tiny advantages for baserunners. He believes successful coaching involves clear, timely information delivery to "take as much off the player's plate as possible," asserting that the ability to connect with and communicate with a player is more crucial than pure technical knowledge.

      If he's hired by the Mets, how do you think his departure impacts the Padres moving forward? Let us know in the comments!

      Steve Drumwright

       

       

      Just over a month ago, Nick Pivetta walked off the mound in Lake Elsinore, looking like his season might be over. Now, the right-hander is set to rejoin the San Diego Padres for the final three weeks of the regular season.

      Pivetta will be activated from the 60-day injured list and start Monday's game against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park, manager Craig Stammen said following Sunday's 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees. Right-hander Randy Vasquez will move to a relief role, perhaps piggybacking Pivetta on Monday.

      The Padres will have to make moves regarding the 26- and 40-man rosters to accommodate Pivetta's return. One possibility on the 26-man roster would be sending right-hander Jhony Brito back to Triple-A El Paso, while designated hitter Miguel Andujar could be transferred to the 60-day IL.

      The 33-year-old has been out since mid-April with a strained right flexor in his right elbow. After being sidelined for a lengthy period, he began a rehab assignment Aug. 4 with fellow right-handed starter Joe Musgrove at Low-A Lake Elsinore. Musgrove started and his outing went well, but Pivetta walked off the mound after throwing his 14th pitch, saying that his elbow didn't feel right. However, he did throw about 30 pitches in a bullpen session that day, a good sign. But he returned a couple weeks later, making one start for Lake Elsinore and then one last weekend for Triple-A El Paso and looked good.

      Everyone involved in the process decided that if Pivetta came out of Saturday's bullpen session feeling good that he would start against the Nationals.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      There is another addition to the San Diego Padres' outfield competition.

      Alex Verdugo, a left-handed hitter released by Atlanta last season, agreed to a minor-league contract with the Padres, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Sunday. The deal will become official once the 29-year-old passes a physical.

      A left-handed hitter, Verdugo was designated for assignment and released by Atlanta in July following the return of former Friars outfielder Jurickson Profar after serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Verdugo, who had signed a $1.5 million contract with Atlanta, had put up a meager .239/.296/.289 slash line with no homers and 12 RBIs in 213 plate appearances over 56 games. That was a second consecutive poor offensive year for Verdugo, who posted a .233/.291/.356 slash line in 2024 with the New York Yankees, with 13 homers and 61 RBIs in 149 games.

      Verdugo's career numbers show there could still be some production left. His career slash line is .270/.326/.406, mostly done between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox over his first seven MLB seasons. His 13 homers in 2024 matched his career high, accomplished twice.

      Verdugo now jumps into the mix with Bryce Johnson for a backup outfield role. Johnson does not have any minor-league options remaining. Verdugo is mainly a corner outfielder, but does also play center.

      Brock Beauchamp

      San Diego fortified its infield depth by acquiring 26-year-old left-handed bat Will Wagner from Toronto for 24-year-old switch-hitting catcher Brandon Valenzuela.

      Wagner spent most of 2025 shuttling between Buffalo and the big-league club. In 18 International League games, he produced a .268/.342/.451 slash, good for a .792 OPS across 79 plate appearances. That accounts for a .322 wOBA and 106 wRC+, suggesting league-average production with above-average on-base skills. With the Blue Jays, Wagner appeared in 40 major-league games, posting a .237/.336/.298 line over 132 trips to the plate. He has logged time at second, third, and first this season, giving the Padres a versatile left-side option who pairs double-digit walk rates with modest power.

      Valenzuela heads to Toronto after spending the year as San Antonio’s primary catcher. Through 81 Texas League games, the Sonora native owns a .232/.313/.390 line in 352 plate appearances, including 14 doubles and 11 homers. His walk rate sits just over 10 percent, and he has handled southpaws appropriately while maintaining steady switch-hit splits. Valenzuela’s defensive résumé features regular work behind the plate and occasional first-base starts; he has allowed five steals against two caught-stealing this season, numbers primarily in line with his prior career rates. 

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The San Diego Padres became the final MLB team to alter their Opening Day roster, activating late-inning bullpen stalwart Jason Adam from the 15-day injured list Friday.

      To make room for Adam, right-hander Jeremiah Estrada went on the 15-day IL with tendinitis in his right elbow.

      Adam, a right-handed setup man, ruptured his left quadriceps tendon in a Sept. 1 game and required surgery. He progressed well during the offseason, with speculation that he could have been on the Opening Day roster. Instead, Adam started the season on the IL and got in a few more outings during a rehab assignment at Triple-A El Paso.

      At El Paso, Adam made four appearances and didn't allow a run, including two perfect innings Wednesday as a final tune-up. He allowed two hits and a walk while striking out one in his five rehab innings. He rejoins a Padres bullpen that has been decent in the first 13 games of the season, albeit with a few blips, ranking 10th in MLB with a 3.05 ERA. Friars relievers have worked the fourth-most innings thus far with 56.

      Last year, Adam had a 3.07 FIP (1.93 ERA) in 65 appearances over 65⅓ innings as a key member of a bullpen that had the best ERA in the majors at 3.06.

      Estrada has battled a loss in velocity in his seven outings this season, allowing four runs in his season debut and two more Thursday. Estrada's four-seam fastball has averaged 95 mph this season after being at 97.9 in 2025. He has a 5.14 ERA in 5⅓ innings, with five walks and eight strikeouts this season.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Add one prospect to the San Diego Padres' 40-man roster.

      Left-handed starter Luis Gutierrez had his contract selected in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

      Gutierrez, 23, pitched just 36 innings this season after injuring his left shoulder following three starts to begin the season with the Double-A San Antonio Missions. He came back to make five rehab appearances in the Arizona Complex League and with the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps before three more starts with San Antonio and finishing the season with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas.

      In all, he made 13 starts and had a 4.50 ERA, with an 11.6% walk rate and 28.4% strikeout rate.

      While he might have been considered a risky proposition if selected in the Rule 5 draft, the Padres felt they had the room on the 40-man to protect their future with Gutierrez.

       

       

      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

       

      The San Diego Padres will be entering the offseason with just one pitcher who made more than six starts in 2026.

      That became the scenario after the Padres declined their $14 million club option on right-hander Nick Pivetta's contract Saturday, according to a report by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Padres faced a 2 p.m. PT Monday deadline to pick up the option. Also, left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta, as expected, opted into his $4.45 million for 2027, the final year of his contract, per MLB Network insider Jon Heyman.

      It is still a possibility that the Padres and Pivetta are able to come to a new deal, but the pitcher will officially hit the open market following Monday's deadline.

      Pivetta was the Padres' Opening Day starter this year, his first time getting that assignment in his career, but then was removed from his fourth start with a right elbow injury. He didn't return until mid-September, which shifted the $14 million for 2027 from a player option to a club option due to a clause in his contract about spending 130 consecutive days on the injured list.

      The 33-year-old made four starts to finish the regular season, then two more in the postseason. There was also an $18 million player option for 2028 that was in play. The Padres may have had concerns about Pivetta's right elbow.

      Now, right-hander Randy Vasquez is the top returning member of the rotation with 23 starts this year, with left-hander JP Sears, a nontender candidate, second with six. That leaves president of baseball operations A.J. Preller with plenty of work to do regarding the rotation. Another starter, right-hander Joe Musgrove, made a single postseason appearance after having Tommy John surgery two years ago and experiencing setbacks during the season that pushed back his return to action.

       

      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

       

      One of the members of the San Diego Padres' coaching staff is getting a promotion—from another NL West team.

      Longtime Padres bullpen coach Ben Fritz is being hired as the Arizona Diamondbacks' pitching coach, according to a report Friday by Dennis Lin of The Athletic. Fritz replaces Brian Kaplan, whose contract expired after the season and was not retained.

      Fritz, a right-hander who was a first-round draft choice by the Oakland A's out of Fresno State in 2002, has been the Padres' bullpen coach for the past seven seasons and a coach in the Friars' system since 2015. Lin also reported that Fritz was up for the Colorado Rockies' pitching coach vacancy.

      Working with pitching coach Ruben Niebla, Fritz's bullpen has posted the seventh-best ERA since 2020 and third-highest fWAR.

       

      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

       

      Following his latest struggles and postgame admission, the San Diego Padres are giving Casey Mize some time to get right.

      The right-handed starter was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a sprained right ankle. In a big piece of good news, first baseman Gavin Sheets was activated off the 10-day IL and right-hander Griffin Canning was called up from the Arizona Complex League. Also, left-hander Kyle Hart was optioned to the ACL. Meanwhile, right-hander Alek Jacob, who was designated for assignment three days ago, cleared waivers and was outrighted to the ACL.

      Mize gave up seven runs in four innings during Friday's 11-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He originally injured the ankle as he returned to the Padres' dugout after the second inning of his Aug. 22 start vs. the Minnesota Twins. He stumbled down the dugout stairs, but came out for the third inning, lasting only two more outs. Since then, Mize has surrendered 28 runs (23 earned) over 26⅔ innings. He said after Friday's game that the right ankle was still sore and affecting his mechanics. Mize, who has a 7.46 ERA in 10 starts since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 3, will be ineligible for the NL Wild Card Series and, if the Padres advance, the NL Division Series.

      Sheets is back after dealing with plantar fasciitis. He is hitting fifth for Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He went on the 10-day IL on Aug. 30, but has been working out recently at the Padres' complex in Peoria, Ariz. He is likely to have a bench role during the initial stages of the postseason. He has a .211/.313/.388 slash line with 16 homers and 46 RBIs in 123 games.

      Canning, who has been effective out of the bullpen, had been optioned to the ACL two days ago and was able to come back up so quickly due to Mize going on the IL. Hart's move is likely just to give him rest before the postseason.

      The Padres can clinch the No. 1 NL wild-card seed with a win in either of their last two games.

      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.

       

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