San Diego Padres News

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Joe Musgrove • SP • Padres

No Timeline for Joe Musgrove's Return

The San Diego Union-Tribune's Jeff Sanders reports that although San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) has resumed playing catch, there is no timeline for him to rejoin the team's starting rotation to make his 2026 debut. The last time Musgrove threw off a mound was when he delivered 60 pitches in an exhibition game against Great Britain on March 4 due to a setback with his right elbow after having Tommy John surgery in October of 2024. Musgrove didn't pitch at all for the Padres last year. The good news is that an MRI exam didn't show anything concerning. Still, he needs to build up to bullpen sessions before eventually going on a minor-league rehab assignment. Given where Musgrove is in his throwing program, we'd be surprised if the Padres get the 33-year-old veteran back in April. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller didn't have a good answer for when Musgrove might be back, but he doesn't think it will be months out, either. Fantasy managers stashing Musgrove in deeper leagues will need to be patient early this year.

Yesterday

Jason Adam • RP • Padres

Jason Adam Hopes to Return When First Eligible

San Diego Padres right-handed reliever Jason Adam (quadriceps), who started the 2026 season on the 15-day injured list after having surgery last September to fix a ruptured quadriceps tendon, is hoping to be activated off the IL when he's first eligible to return on April 6, according to Matt Levine of Sports Illustrated. Adam probably could have been ready for Opening Day, but the Padres wanted to be cautious and give the high-leverage setup man more time to recover before making his season debut. He threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings during a minor-league rehab outing on Saturday with Triple-A El Paso, giving up a hit with no walks or strikeouts. Adam was a workhorse for the Friars in 2025, making 65 appearances while posting a 1.93 ERA as a first-time All-Star. SD might not allow Adam to pitch on back-to-back days upon his return, but he'll once again be a key setup man ahead of closer Mason Miller in the Padres' bullpen in 2026, and he has plenty of value in holds leagues.

Yesterday

José Leclerc • RP • Padres

Padres Sign Jose Leclerc to a Minor-League Contract

The San Diego Padres have signed veteran relief pitcher Jose Leclerc to a minor league contract, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The 32-year-old hasn't pitched since last April, when he suffered a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery. Presumably now fully healthy, Leclerc will offer bullpen depth in the minor leagues. His veteran experience and track record make him a strong candidate for a promotion to the majors at some point this season. Across nine innings before his injury last year, the right-hander allowed six earned runs with five walks, eight strikeouts, and three home runs. He fared better over a larger sample size in 2024 with the Rangers, pitching to a 3.66 xFIP with 12.02 K/9, 4.32 BB/9, and 0.95 HR/9.

2 days ago

Miguel Andujar • LF • Padres

Miguel Andujar the DH and Batting Fifth on Opening Day

San Diego Padres outfielder Miguel Andujar is serving as the designated hitter and will bat fifth for the Padres on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Detroit Tigers and left-hander Tarik Skubal, according to MLB.com. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups will want to avoid Andujar against the reigning American League Cy Young winner. In just two career at-bats against Skubal, Andujar is hitless. At least against lefties, Andujar will be San Diego's primary DH, with veteran Nick Castellanos starting on the bench on Opening Day. The 31-year-old Dominican has an .807 career OPS against lefties, as opposed to a .734 OPS against right-handers. Andujar hit just .220 (11-for-50) with three home runs, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base in 19 Cactus League games this spring. He brings some pop from the right side, but he hasn't done much in the power department in his nine-year MLB career outside of crushing 27 long balls back in 2018 with the Yankees in just his second MLB season.

4 days ago

Yu Darvish • SP • Padres

Padres Place Yu Darvish on Restricted List

The San Diego Padres announced on Wednesday that they have placed right-hander Yu Darvish (elbow) on the restricted list. Darvish will miss the entire 2026 season after having UCL surgery on his right elbow last November. While he ponders whether he'll try to continue his playing career in 2027, putting him on the restricted list will allow the Padres to free up significant payroll for this year. The 39-year-old native of Japan is nearing the end of his illustrious major-league career, which began in 2012 with the Texas Rangers. Darvish is a five-time All-Star with 2,075 career strikeouts in 13 seasons with four different teams. Since the start of the 2024 season, though, he has only made 31 total starts for the Friars, going 12-8 with a 4.28 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, 146 strikeouts, and 41 walks in 153 2/3 innings. Even if Darvish decides to return for his age-40 season in 2027, he'll be hard to trust in fantasy baseball after major elbow surgery. We wouldn't recommend stashing Darvish in dynasty/keeper leagues.

5 days ago

Jason Adam • RP • Padres

Jason Adam to Open 2026 Season on the Injured List

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Jason Adam (quad) will open the season on the 15-day injured list, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Adam has been recovering from a September surgery that repaired a ruptured tendon in his quad. While he has been facing batters for weeks, he didn't make his Cactus League debut until last Friday. As a result of his delayed return to action, he's going to open the year on the injured list. His placement on the IL will be backdated to March 22, allowing him to return no earlier than April 6. Getting Adam back and healthy is key for the Padres, as the veteran reliever pitched to an impressive 1.93 ERA with 9.64 K/9 and 3.44 BB/9 across 65.1 innings of relief work last year. Ron Marinaccio and Bradgley Rodriguez are both expected to make the Opening Day roster since Adam is not quite ready to go.

7 days ago

Nick Pivetta • SP • Padres

Nick Pivetta to Start on Opening Day for Padres

San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta is scheduled to take the ball on Opening Day this Thursday at Petco Park against the visiting Detroit Tigers. He'll be opposed by reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Pivetta earned the Opening Day nod after having a career-best season last year in his first year in San Diego. The nine-year veteran went 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA (3.49 FIP) and 0.98 WHIP with 190 strikeouts and 50 walks in 181 2/3 innings over 31 regular-season starts. He definitely didn't look as good this spring, allowing 12 runs (11 earned) on 19 hits (four homers) while walking six and striking out nine in 12 innings over four Cactus League starts. Pivetta reportedly dealt with some arm fatigue this spring, but he should be fine for close to a full workload on Thursday. Against a strong Tigers offense on Opening Day after struggling this spring, DFS managers will probably be scared off Pivetta as a starter on Thursday.

7 days ago

Walker Buehler • SP • Padres

Walker Buehler Officially Makes the Padres' Opening Day Roster

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler has officially made the Opening Day roster, manager Craig Stammen confirmed to radio host Sammy Levitt. This doesn't come as much of a surprise, as Buehler had put together an impressive spring training. Through three starts (11.2 innings) in the Cactus League, he maintained a 2.98 FIP with 10.03 K/9, 3.09 BB/9, and a 42.9% ground ball rate. Presumably, he'll end up in the No. 5 starter role, putting him in line to make his Padres regular-season debut on Tuesday, March 31, against the San Francisco Giants. Buehler was roughed up to the tune of a 5.45 ERA across 23 outings in Boston last year, but he latched on with the Phillies near the end of the season and enjoyed much better results. Across 13.2 innings with Philadelphia, he posted a 0.66 ERA with eight strikeouts and six walks.

Mar 22

Nick Pivetta • SP • Padres

Nick Pivetta Roughed Up During Spring Training

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta had the best season of his career in 2025, but an ugly start to spring training has raised some questions about his reliability going forward. While it's dangerous to put too much stock into spring performances due to matchup and sample size factors, fantasy managers are starting to notice that Pivetta has surrendered seven runs, 11 hits, and five walks over eight innings (three starts) this spring. He has allowed two home runs along the way, and he has a modest six strikeouts to his name. Extrapolated over a regular season, these numbers would represent major regression from his 2025 stat line, which included a 3.49 FIP, 9.41 K/9, 2.48 BB/9, and 1.09 HR/9. We'd expect his 2026 stats to look more like the 2025 season than 2026 spring training, but managers should still temper expectations slightly, especially since the idea of Pivetta regressing was mentioned quite often throughout the offseason. As it stands, the veteran ranks #24 among starters in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

Mar 20

Mason Miller • RP • Padres

Mason Miller Available for Team USA in World Baseball Classic Final

San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller will be available to pitch on Tuesday night against Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final, manager Mark DeRosa told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Despite throwing 22 pitches on Sunday in his save against the Dominican Republic in the semifinals, the hard-throwing right-hander will be available out of the bullpen on Tuesday. If Miller gets into Tuesday's game, it will be his third time pitching in the last five days. The 27-year-old former third-round pick in 2021 out of Gardner-Webb University is one of the most dominant closers in the game and will be the first reliever off the board in most fantasy formats. Miller has a ridiculous 13.8 K/9 and 39.5% strikeout rate in his three years in the big leagues in 160 innings pitched. Only two of his 22 saves last year came after the Padres acquired him in a blockbuster trade for the A's, but Miller's fantasy stock is way up in 2026 now that he's SD's unquestioned ninth-inning arm.

Mar 17

Walker Buehler • SP • Padres

Walker Buehler Looks Likely to Make Padres Opening Day Rotation

MLB.com's Manny Randhawa writes that at this point, "it stands to reason" that right-hander Walker Buehler "will be part" of the San Diego Padres' Opening Day starting rotation now that right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) will start the year on the injured list. As camp progressed, Buehler and German Marquez emerged as the favorites for the final rotation spot. Buehler entered his start against the Giants on Monday with a 5.40 ERA over two spring outings, and Marquez was hit hard his last time out against the Royals to push his spring ERA to 12.15. Buehler tossed five scoreless innings against the Giants on Monday with seven strikeouts to drop his Cactus League ERA to 3.09. The 31-year-old is no longer the same pitcher who throws in the high-90s after missing all of the 2023 season due to arm issues. He had an ERA over 5.00 in his final season in L.A. in 2024 and had a 5.38 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 126 innings with Boston and Philadelphia last year. The fantasy upside is now limited with a lowered strikeout rate, but Buehler could bounce back in San Diego in a pitcher-friendly home environment. Buehler's fantasy stock in NL-only leagues is on the rise.

Mar 17

Joe Musgrove • SP • Padres

Joe Musgrove Expected to Open the Year on the Injured List

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) is expected to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list, manager Craig Stammen told Dennis Lin of The Athletic. Musgrove did not recover as well as hoped after his March 4 start against Great Britain for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and he hasn't thrown in a little more than a week in spring training. The 33-year-old veteran had Tommy John surgery in October of 2024 and didn't pitch at all for the Padres last year. He threw 60 pitches over two-plus innings against Great Britain on March 4, but he has since been shut down from throwing after his latest bullpen on March 8. The Padres have described Musgrove's issue as a "cranky" arm and noted that they expected some bumps in the road in his return to big-league action. "I don't expect to make 180, 200 innings (this season), but I expect to be able to take the ball consistently throughout the year and be productive," Musgrove said. He's become a pretty risky starting pitcher option in fantasy in 2026 and is not in RotoBaller's top-100 starting pitchers.

Mar 16

Joe Musgrove • SP • Padres

Joe Musgrove's Progress has Slowed

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) is currently working his way back from Tommy John surgery he underwent in October of 2024. He didn't pitch at all in 2025, and his last time on the mound was against Team Great Britain in an exhibition game. Ahead of Thursday's game, Padres manager Craig Stammen said Musgrove is nearing a return, but is in "a bit of a holding pattern" right now. It sounds like the organization is waiting for Musgrove to get over the hump before they ramp up his activities. Stammen didn't hint at Musgrove not being ready for Opening Day, but given his recent activities, it's hard to imagine he'll be ready by then. Fantasy managers should still consider Musgrove a late-round option despite a possible delayed start to the season.

Mar 13

Bryan Hoeing • RP • Padres

Bryan Hoeing to Miss Entire 2026 Season

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Bryan Hoeing (elbow) is expected to undergo surgery and miss the entire 2026 season. Hoeing has elected to undergo flexor tendon surgery, which will end his 2026 campaign before it begins. The right-hander was working through right elbow discomfort that began to bother him early in camp. After seeking multiple opinions, Hoeing has decided surgery is the best long-term option for his health. The 29-year-old will hopefully be ready to go for the beginning of the 2027 season. At best, Hoeing was going to be a middle reliever in San Diego, so his absence won't make a huge impact in the bullpen.

Mar 13

Jackson Merrill • CF • Padres

Jackson Merrill Likely to Bounce Back in 2026

San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill needs a bounce-back campaign after injuries plagued him throughout the 2025 season. Merrill came into the league in 2024 and was outstanding as he finished ninth in MVP voting. His excellent rookie season led to many drafting him in the first three rounds during last year's drafts. Sadly, the 2025 season didn't go as planned for Merrill. He only played in 115 games due to injury. Many of his offensive numbers took a hit, but his walk rate and barrel rate both improved. His overall mechanics are solid, which means he should be able to bounce back, assuming he stays healthy. The 22-year-old said during the offseason that he feels more comfortable and physically prepared for the 2026 season. Given his age and upside, Merrill is looking like a steal at his current ADP.

Mar 6

Sung-Mun Song • 3B • Padres

Sung-Mun Song Exits Early on Thursday With Oblique Tightness

San Diego Padres infielder Sung-Mun Song (oblique) was pulled from Thursday's Cactus League game early against the Seattle Mariners with tightness in his right oblique, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. It's the same oblique that Song injured in the offseason, but manager Craig Stammen said his exit on Thursday was "precautionary." For now, the 29-year-old South Korean is day-to-day, but his availability for Opening Day in late March could be in question if his oblique continues to be an issue. Going into his first year in the big leagues in the U.S., Song figures to be a utility infielder for the Friars. Most of Song's production in the KBO in Korea came recently, with him hitting .315/.387/.530 with a .917 OPS, career-high 26 home runs, 90 RBI, 103 runs scored, and 25 steals in 144 games in 2025. Song has a nice combination of power and contact, but playing time will be limited, and fantasy managers in deeper leagues should expect an adjustment to the velocity of MLB pitching.

Mar 5

Xander Bogaerts • SS • Padres

Xander Bogaerts the Leading Candidate to Hit Leadoff for Padres

San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts is the leading candidate to hit leadoff for the team this season, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee. Bogaerts has been the team's most common leadoff hitter so far in Cactus League play and appears to be the club's top choice to fill the No. 1 role this year, with outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. moving to the third or fourth spot in the batting order. The 33-year-old veteran's plate skills are declining, but a move to the top of the lineup will definitely help him get more plate appearances and perhaps rack up some more counting stats, at least in runs scored. Second baseman Jake Cronenworth is another candidate for manager Craig Stammen to hit leadoff this year. Bogaerts hit 11 homers for the second straight year in 2025 and also had a career-best 20 steals, but he was mostly underwhelming. A move to the leadoff spot will make him slightly more attractive as middle-infield depth with middling power and speed.

Mar 2

Fernando Tatis Jr. • RF • Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. Moving to Middle of the Batting Order?

San Diego Padres All-Star outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to hit either third or fourth in the team's batting order this year, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Tatis primarily hit leadoff for the Friars in 2025, so this is a notable development as he enters his seventh year in the big leagues. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts is expected to move to the leadoff role this season. The 27-year-old Tatis will have more RBI opportunities in the heart of the order, but he'll also have fewer plate appearances and will most likely score fewer runs. Tatis hit .268/.368/.446 with an .814 OPS, 25 home runs, 71 RBI, 111 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 691 plate appearances over 155 regular-season games. He's probably not going to return to the 40-homer mark as he did before his PED suspension, but he remains a solid power/speed asset as a top-10 fantasy outfielder, especially if he can continue to show the improved plate discipline he had in 2025.

Mar 2

Alex Verdugo • LF • Padres

Padres Add Alex Verdugo on Minor-League Deal

The San Diego Padres agreed to a minor-league deal with free-agent outfielder Alex Verdugo on Sunday, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Verdugo appeared in only 56 games with the Atlanta Braves last year and was eventually designated for assignment over the summer after hitting just .239/.296/.289 with no homers, 12 RBI, and 21 runs scored in 213 plate appearances. The nine-year veteran is getting a late start in spring training and won't be guaranteed to make the Padres' Opening Day roster. If Verdugo did make the big-league squad out of camp, he'd most likely be a platoon option from the left side of the plate in a corner-outfield spot or at designated hitter. Most likely, Verdugo will offer the Padres some outfield depth at Triple-A El Paso to begin the 2026 regular season. In 149 games with the Yankees in 2024, Verdugo held a .233/.291/.356 slash line with 13 homers and 61 RBI in 621 plate appearances.

Mar 2

Joe Musgrove • SP • Padres

Joe Musgrove to Start Exhibition Game on Wednesday

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) will start in the team's exhibition against Team Great Britain on Wednesday, his first appearance in a game since his 2024 Tommy John surgery that October, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Musgrove didn't pitch at all for the Padres in 2025 as the results of his surgery, but he has worked his way all the way back and will be part of SD's Opening Day starting rotation. The 33-year-old is not expected to have any workload restrictions, but it's fair for fantasy managers to wonder how effective he'll be in 2026 in his return. Musgrove was a first-time All-Star back in 2022 with the Friars, when he went 10-7 with a career-best 2.93 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 184:42 K:BB in 181 innings (30 starts), but that was the last time he went over 100 innings in a season. Expecting him to return to that All-Star form in 2026 is a lot to ask, but Musgrove is definitely worth a late-round flier in fantasy drafts as rotation depth.

Mar 2

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