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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

      The San Diego Padres are bringing Ty France with them to Opening Day.

      The Friars told the former San Diego State standout that he will be on the roster to begin the season, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Saturday. As a non-roster player in camp, the infielder will have to be added to the 40-man roster. The move comes a day after right-handed starter Walker Buehler was told he will be on the Opening Day roster.

      France signed a minor-league deal after camp began, which called for his salary to be $1.35 million once added to the Padres' roster. The Padres had faced a Saturday deadline to inform them of their decision or have him possibly opt-out of his contract.

      In winning the final spot on the bench, France has had a really good spring, putting up a .318/.367/.545 slash line with two homers with 12 RBIs in 44 at-bats. Last year's AL Gold Glove first baseman has displayed his positional versatility, playing second and third base this spring. France has played second base in an MLB game three times over the last four years and 55 times since his MLB debut with the Padres in 2019. He has not played third base since the 2022 season.

      But as a member of the Padres' bench for 2026, France is likely to see action at both spots early in the season, especially with Sung Mun Song expected to start the season on the injured list. Adding France means the four-person bench will likely include him, catcher Luis Campusano, outfielder-infielder Miguel Andujar, and outfielder Bryce Johnson.

      France started the 2025 season with the Minnesota Twins, but was traded at the deadline to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he played sparingly as the team made a run to the World 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

      The San Diego Padres added yet another arm to the free-for-all competition for one of the last two spots in their 2026 starting rotation.

      Right-hander Walker Buehler, who recorded the final out of the 2024 World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is joining the Friars on a minor-league deal, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Monday. The 31-year-old Buehler pitched last season for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, posting a combined 5.66 FIP (4.93 ERA) in 126 innings over 24 starts and two relief appearances.

      Buehler has struggled since having Tommy John surgery in August 2022. He returned to the Dodgers midway through the 2024 season, making 16 starts and compiling a 5.54 FIP over 75⅓ innings. Buehler was once one of the Dodgers' top starters, finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young Award balloting in 2021 and ninth in 2019. He also finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018.

      He becomes the third low-cost addition in the last three days to the battle for the final two spots. Right-handers German Marquez and Griffin Canning agreed to major-league deals over the weekend, with the Padres formalizing Marquez's signing Monday of a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2027. Canning, coming back from an Achilles injury, has yet to formally sign his one-year deal with the Friars. Right-hander Jhony Brito (elbow surgery) was put on the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster. Another move, also likely involving the IL, must be made to add Canning.

      Those three along with right-hander Randy Vasquez, left-hander JP Sears and nonroster invitees Marco Gonzalez, a left-hander, and right-hander Triston McKenzie are the top contenders for the rotation behind right-handers Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove. Musgrove is throwing in the early days of camp after coming back from Tommy John surgery.

      Buehler rejected the qualifying offer from the Dodgers following the 2024 season and became a free agent, signing with the Red Sox for $21.05 million, the same amount as the QO.

      Steve Drumwright

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

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

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

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

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

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The San Diego Padres are going to be without a clutch player for at least Friday and perhaps the entire weekend—for a good reason.

      First baseman Ty France was placed on the paternity list as his wife, Magdalena, is expecting twins. Infielder Mason McCoy was called up from Triple-A El Paso.

      France could be away for up to three days. The couple already have a son, 2-year-old Luka.

      After signing a minor-league contract at the beginning of spring training, France has slowly become the Padres' regular first baseman and is having a career year, posting a slash line of .294/.363/.510, matching his career best with 20 homers while also driving 63 runs and playing a terrific first base after winning the AL Gold Glove last year.

      McCoy will be making his first appearance in a Padres uniform this season, having spent the entire year at El Paso. There, he has a .284/.359/.408 slash line with 10 homers and 67 RBIs. He also has a Pacific Coast League-best 37 steals, surpassing his previous career high of 25 (2023-24).

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Get ready for a little bit of dad strength this week.

      First baseman Ty France was activated from the paternity list Monday by the San Diego Padres. France and his wife, Magdalena, were expecting twins. The couple also have a 2-year-old son, Luka. France is expected to be in the lineup for Monday's series opener against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. The Friars have a 2½-game lead for the third and final NL wild card over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

      To make room for France, infielder Mason McCoy was optioned back to Triple-A El Paso for the final week of the Chihuahuas' season. McCoy came up Friday for the three-game series against the San Francisco Giants, but did not play.

      France has been a boon for the Padres this year, compiling a .294/.363/.510 slash line with 20 homers, matching his career best, 63 RBIs and anchoring the defense at first base.

      There could be two more activations coming, perhaps Monday or during the Rockies series. Those would be designated hitter-left fielder Miguel Andujar, who has been on a rehab assignment at El Paso, and right-handed reliever Jason Adam, who made a rehab appearance Sunday for the Chihuahuas.

       

      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 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

       

      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

       

      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

       

      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

       

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

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

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

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

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

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

       

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

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

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

       

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

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

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

       

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      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

      While the process has taken longer than many on the outside thought, the sale of the San Diego Padres will happen.

      That is according to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, who held court prior to Tuesday's All-Star Game and was asked about the record $3.9 billion purchase by Jose E. Felciano and Kwanza Jones.

      “It’s a question of getting investment commitments, documentation to be put in a condition that it’s ready for a club vote,” Manfred said, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

      News of the sale agreement broke in mid-April, with the Seidler family negotiating the richest sale in MLB history, surpassing the $2.4 billion that Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in 2020. Cohen, one of the richest people in the world, acquired 95% control of the team.

      Feliciano and Jones are said to be purchasing a 45% stake in the Padres, with several other people, groups and entities piecing together the remaining 55%. That is where it seems things have slowed down. That and the sale news becoming public earlier in the process than what is typical.

      “When people in the public become aware of the sale — this one was earlier, quicker than what sometimes happens,” Manfred said. “Usually, it gets public when it’s a little closer to final documents. But (the sale) will get done.”

      There was an owners meeting in June where a vote could have taken place. Now, it seems like the approval will happen in August at the next owners meeting. A vote to approve new ownership requires 22 of the other 29 teams.

      Steve Drumwright

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

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

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

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

      Steve Drumwright

       

      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

       

      While there is a lot to determine about his future, Yu Darvish is giving himself a chance to make a decision about returning to the San Diego Padres.

      Darvish threw a second bullpen session before Wednesday's Padres-Pittsburgh Pirates game at Petco Park, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Darvish, who turned 40 on Aug. 16, had internal brace surgery on his right elbow in October. He is currently on the Padres' restricted list (an agreed-upon move), which means he is not receiving his $16 million salary for 2026. Darvish is under contract for $15 million for each of the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

      Regardless of the business side of things, the popular Padres pitcher being back on a mound even in a light bullpen session is a positive step in his recovery from elbow surgery.

      Darvish indicated to MLB.com that he doesn't know if he intends to be part of the Padres in 2027, but this does allow him the opportunity to keep that a possibility. Darvish made 15 starts in 2025 with a 4.82 FIP (5.38 ERA).

       

      Steve Drumwright

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

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

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

      Steve Drumwright

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

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

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

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

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

      Steve Drumwright

       

      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.

       

      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

      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.

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