San Diego Padres News

The San Diego Padres announced on Thursday that they transferred right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) to the 60-day injured list. Musgrove had Tommy John surgery late in the 2024 season and missed the entire 2025 campaign as a result. The 33-year-old veteran was working his way back in the offseason for a potential return to San Diego's starting rotation for the start of this season, but he just has not recovered as expected, and now he won't be eligible to make his 2026 season debut until at least late May. It's unclear exactly where he's at in his throwing program to build his arm strength back up, but we'd be surprised to see Musgrove back with the Padres in the first half of the season at this point. It's becoming harder and harder to recommend holding Musgrove in single-year fantasy leagues. He's currently rostered in 22% of Yahoo leagues. The Padres could really use the rotation boost, but Musgrove's return to a big-league mound is not imminent.

San Diego Padres pitcher Griffin Canning (Achilles) is likely to be activated on Sunday to make his 2026 debut at home and against the Chicago White Sox. The 29-year-old right-hander suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in June 2025, missing the remainder of the season as a result. Before that, he had found success as part of the New York Mets' rotation, posting a 3.77 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP over 16 starts. Since the start of the 2026 season, the veteran has been working his way back and has made five rehab outings across various minor league levels. He is someone who should be rostered in the deepest leagues, with the potential for production similar to last season.

The San Diego Padres announced on Friday that they reinstated right-handed reliever Jeremiah Estrada (elbow) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander David Morgan to Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move. Estrada didn't look right early in the 2026 season, allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits with five walks and eight strikeouts in his first seven innings pitched, and his velocity was noticeably down as well. The Padres put him on the IL with what they called right-elbow tendinitis, and now he's been cleared to rejoin the big-league bullpen after a couple of minor-league rehab appearances. Now that he's healthy again, Estrada will return to his high-leverage, late-inning setup role in San Diego alongside right-hander Jason Adam and in front of star closer Mason Miller. In the last two seasons with the Friars, Estrada has only four saves, but he's also struck out 202 batters in 134 innings and will be valuable in holds leagues. Estrada is rostered in 11% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (calf) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting third for the Friars in Wednesday's series finale against the Chicago Cubs and right-hander Jameson Taillon at Petco Park, per MLB.com. With Machado at DH, Miguel Andujar will get the start at third base and bat sixth. The 33-year-old Machado was removed early as a precaution due to calf cramps on Monday, and he sat out of Tuesday's loss to Chicago in Game 2 of the series. Now that the seven-time All-Star is back in the starting lineup, fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups. Machado hadn't done much at the plate this year until homering twice in Mexico City on Sunday and hitting two doubles before his early exit on Monday night. He's now hitting .232/.342/.400 with a .742 OPS, four home runs, 16 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a steal in his 95 at-bats in 2026. Machado has gone hitless in just four career at-bats versus Taillon.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (calf) is not in the team's starting lineup on Tuesday for Game 2 of the series at Petco Park against the visiting Chicago Cubs, according to MLB.com. Jake Cronenworth is starting at the hot corner and will bat ninth for the Friars, with Fernando Tatis Jr. playing second base for a second straight day and batting out of the two-hole versus Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera. Bryce Johnson is making the start for SD in right field with Tatis back on the dirt in the infield. The 33-year-old veteran was pulled from Monday's win over the Cubs early as a precaution due to calf cramping, and he's available off the bench on Tuesday. The Padres are giving the star third baseman an extra day of rest, but he's expected to be fine, and he could return as early as Wednesday's game against the Cubbies. Machado got off to a cold start offensively in 2026, but he hit two home runs on Sunday in Mexico City and had doubled twice on Monday night before leaving with his calf injury, perhaps signaling that he's on the verge of breaking out with April nearing an end. Check back on Wednesday to see if Machado is ready to play in the series finale against the Cubs.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (undisclosed) left Monday's victory over the visiting Chicago Cubs at Petco Park early with an undisclosed injury after grounding out to end the sixth inning, according to 97.3 The Fan. It's unclear what exactly is bothering the 33-year-old veteran, but he was seen getting his calf massaged after exiting. The Padres will most likely send Machado for imaging, and we should have a better idea of his status before Game 2 of the series against the Cubs on Tuesday. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Machado to be in the lineup on Tuesday. Ty France shifted from first base to third base on Monday night, with Gavin Sheets entering the game to play first base. If Machado is forced to miss additional time, Miguel Andujar is another candidate with experience at third base who could see playing time at the hot corner. After a slow start in 2026 at the plate, Machado hit two home runs in Mexico City on Sunday and had doubled twice before leaving Monday's contest early. The former third overall pick is now hitting .232 (22-for-95) with four homers, 16 RBI, 18 runs, and a steal. Machado is a must-stash in all fantasy formats if he lands on the injured list. UPDATE: Manager Craig Stammen said Machado was pulled on Monday for precautionary reasons.

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller started the season with sheer dominance over his first 13 games, allowing just three hits and picking up 27 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings. On Monday, though, the 27-year-old closer looked human, giving up two earned runs on three hits with a wild pitch on Monday night against the Cubs. It was a non-save situation since he entered with a four-run lead, so it doesn't count as a blown save. The Padres still secured the 9-7 win, and Miller will still be an elite closer option going forward. This outing just serves as a reminder that he really is human, and keeping a 0.00 ERA for the entire season isn't realistic. He's sure to get the next save chance for the Padres, and this is not a cause for concern at this point for his fantasy managers. It is noteworthy, though, since it's the first time he's been touched at all this year.

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is making another start at second base and will bat in the two-hole for Monday's series opener at Petco Park against the visiting Chicago Cubs and left-hander Matthew Boyd, according to MLB.com. This will be Tatis' fourth start at second for the Friars this year, bringing him closer to gaining eligibility at the keystone in fantasy baseball leagues. Not only is this trend making the 27-year-old Dominican more attractive in fantasy, but the three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner has gotten even hotter at the plate of late. Tatis is still searching for his first home run of 2026, but otherwise, fantasy managers can't complain, as he's gone 8-for-29 (.276) with two RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases in his last seven games, dating back to April 18. He'll be hoping to turn things around against Boyd in the series opener in SD on Monday. In six career at-bats against Boyd, Tatis is hitting just .167 with one RBI.

San Diego Padres right-handed reliever Jeremiah Estrada (elbow) started a minor-league rehab assignment with Single-A Lake Elsinore last Friday by throwing a scoreless inning with a strikeout for the Storm, according to MLB.com. Estrada landed on the 15-day injured list on April 10 after feeling "tightness" in his right elbow while playing catch. He was diagnosed with right-elbow tendinitis, but the fact that he's already pitching in games again means he could come off the IL soon to rejoin the Friars' bullpen. The 27-year-old's velocity was down considerably before he landed on the IL, and he didn't look like his previous dominant self on the mound. Estrada allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits while walking five and striking out eight in his seven relief innings for SD before landing on the shelf. He can be a nice arm to roster in leagues that count holds, but Mason Miller has the ninth locked down in San Diego. Estrada is currently rostered in just 11% of fantasy baseball leagues.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado broke out at the plate in the team's 12-7 loss in Mexico City on Sunday to the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks, going 2-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, five RBI, and a strikeout to raise his season average to .209 and his OPS to .690. Baseballs were flying all over the yard in Mexico City on Sunday at hitter-friendly Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu, and fantasy managers are hoping that the strong performance will get Machado going offensively after his slow start to the 2026 campaign. Both of the 33-year-old veteran's homers came against D-Backs right-handed starter Ryne Nelson. The former third overall pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2010 is now up to four home runs on the year with 16 RBI, 15 runs scored, and a stolen base in 91 at-bats. Machado hasn't been hitting the ball as hard as we're used to, but the seven-time All-Star still has his plate discipline intact and has walked 17 times while striking out 22 times.

San Diego Padres right-hander Randy Vasquez has been dominant through five starts this season, posting a 1.88 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts across 28 2/3 innings. Vasquez has allowed more than one run only once, showing impressive consistency in his third year with San Diego. The 27-year-old logged a 3.84 ERA in 28 games last season, but he appears ready to take another step in 2026. His swing-and-miss profile has improved dramatically, with his K% rising to 26.3 after finishing at 13.7 last year. If this growth continues into May, he could become a key fantasy waiver wire target and an important piece of the Padres rotation.

Free-agent right-hander Lucas Giolito is signing with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday on a $3 million prorated deal, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The deal also includes a mutual option for the 2027 season with a decent-sized buyout. The move makes sense for the Padres, who are looking for some more length for their starting rotation with right-hander Nick Pivetta (elbow) potentially set to miss multiple months. The landing spot for the 31-year-old veteran isn't a bad one, and he could quickly become worth a look in mixed fantasy leagues. He missed all of the 2024 campaign due to injury, but he managed to go 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA (4.17 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 121 strikeouts and 56 walks in 145 innings across 26 starts for the Boston Red Sox in 2025. Giolito, who said he has been throwing up to 75 pitches on his own, is scheduled to report to Single-A Lake Elsinore. The goal will be for the Friars to get Giolito up to speed to join their starting rotation, potentially as early as a week or two.

MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo reports that he has heard from some people in the industry who think that free-agent right-hander Lucas Giolito and the San Diego Padres is "an inevitable marriage that could take shape soon." Giolito has been holding out early in the 2026 season for a deal to his liking, but something could be finalized soon. The 31-year-old veteran would make sense for a Padres team looking for additional starting-pitching depth with right-hander Nick Pivetta (elbow) looking at a multi-month absence. Giolito, a former first-rounder by the Washington Nationals back in 2012, didn't play at all in 2024 due to injury and then went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA (4.17 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, and 121:56 K:BB in 145 innings over 26 starts for the Boston Red Sox last year. It's unclear how long it will be before Giolito is ready to pitch in the big leagues, but he recently said he's been throwing around 75 pitches to stay in shape. Landing in San Diego would make Giolito attractive in mixed fantasy leagues. He's currently rostered in only 3% of Yahoo leagues.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado has gotten off to an uncharacteristically slow start in 2026, going 13-for-70 (.186) with two home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, 10 runs scored, and a stolen base in 88 plate appearances across his first 21 games of 2026. It's still early, but there are some things that fantasy managers should be a bit uneasy about. The 33-year-old perennial All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger winner sits in the 57th percentile in xwOBA, the 28th percentile in xSLG, the 55th percentile in strikeout rate, and the 26th percentile in hard-hit rate in the early going. Additionally, Machado has a weak 5.6% barrel rate. His batted-ball metrics don't look great, but the good news is that Machado ranks eighth in baseball with an 18.2% walk rate, so his plate discipline remains intact as a middle-of-the-order hitter for the Friars. It's still a small sample size, so fantasy managers need to stay patient and hope it's just an early-season funk.

San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin (head) is out once again for Friday's series opener in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels, according to MLB.com. Luis Campusano will catch for right-hander Matt Waldron, who is making his 2026 season debut, and hit ninth for the Friars against Angels right-hander Jose Soriano. Fermin was removed from Wednesday's win over the Seattle Mariners with a head injury after he was hit by a foul tip in his catcher's mask. This will be his second straight missed game, although Fermin is believed to have cleared the league's concussion protocol since he was active off the bench on Thursday in the series finale against the M's. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Saturday to see if Fermin is back in action. Campusano is hitting .310 (9-for-29) with a homer, six RBI, and five runs scored so far this year, but his lineup placement makes him a poor DFS option. He's faced Soriano twice in his career and has one hit with a 1.000 OPS.

San Diego Padres outfielder Ramon Laureano is the team's leadoff man "until further notice," manager Craig Stammen told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. The skipper cited Laureano's quality of at-bats wherever he's hit in the lineup so far this season, whether it's first or "seventh, eighth, whatever, when I was dumb, putting him lower in the lineup." Laureano's fantasy baseball will be at its highest if he can stay in the leadoff spot for the Friars all season. The 31-year-old veteran Dominican outfielder has earned it, hitting .290/.355/.551 with a .906 OPS, four home runs, 13 RBI, 12 runs scored, and three stolen bases so far in the 2026 campaign in his 69 at-bats. Not only does Laureano bring quality at-bats to the leadoff spot in SD, but he's a gritty player who also has been spectacular with his glove in left field for SD. He's currently riding a six-game hitting streak in which he's gone 9-for-23 (.391) with two homers, two doubles, a triple, seven RBI, and seven runs scored.

San Diego Padres right-hander Mason Miller struck out the side Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners to earn his league-leading sixth save of the season. Miller has been nothing short of dominant thus far in 2026, converting on all six of his save opportunities, having not allowed a run, and striking out batters at a ridiculous 74.1 percent clip (23 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings pitched) in 9 innings pitched. In addition, he's also not allowing many baserunners, as evidenced by his 0.21 WHIP. He has walked one batter and allowed one hit in nine appearances. Fantasy managers who roster him are fortunate enough to set and forget with Miller, as he has been cementing himself as the top closer in baseball, if he hasn't already.

San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin (head) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday night's series finale against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park, according to MLB.com. Luis Campusano is doing the catching for right-hander Walker Buehler and will hit eighth against Mariners veteran right-hander Luis Castillo. Fermin was shaken up in Wednesday's walk-off win over the M's early in the game when a foul ball caught him square in the mask. He was checked by trainers before eventually being replaced by Campusano behind the plate. The good news is that Fermin hasn't experienced concussion symptoms, which makes him available off the bench on Thursday. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day and check back on Friday to see if he's back in action for Friday's series opener on the road against the Los Angeles Angels. Campusano has gotten off to a strong start in 2026 at the plate, going 8-for-25 (.320) with a homer, five RBI, and four runs scored in nine games. He has never faced Castillo in his career.

San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen said on Wednesday that right-hander Nick Pivetta (elbow) is dealing with a flexor strain in his right elbow, according to Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune. The Padres think it will be "weeks, maybe months" before Pivetta can return to the team's starting rotation after rest and rehab. The 33-year-old kind of gave us the bad news on Wednesday, when he said he was confident that he'd return at some point in 2026. Pivetta will rest and rehab for now, but there's also a scenario where that doesn't go well, and he eventually needs surgery, which would knock him out for the rest of this season and likely the start of 2027. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Pivetta to return from the 15-day injured list until at least the second half of the season. For now, right-hander Matt Waldron (lower body) is expected to fill Pivetta's spot in the rotation and make his season debut in Friday's series opener in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels.

San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (elbow) declined to discuss what his MRI exam showed, but he did say he will rest and rehab and that he's confident he will pitch again this season, according to Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Without knowing for sure what is wrong with Pivetta's elbow, it doesn't sound like he's looking for a speedy return anytime soon after being placed on the 15-day injured list this week with a right-elbow injury. In addition to what looks like a lengthy injury absence for the 33-year-old Canadian, Pivetta was inconsistent in his first four starts for the Friars compared to his breakout in 2025. He had a 4.50 ERA in his 16 innings, but that also came with a 1.28 FIP, 24 strikeouts, and six walks in 16 innings, so Pivetta probably deserved some better luck. Pivetta had a career-best 2.87 ERA in 31 starts for the Friars in 2025 and a 26.4% strikeout rate. Fantasy managers need to sit tight for now while we wait to see how much time Pivetta might actually miss.