San Diego Padres News

Manny Machado  • 3B  •  Padres

Manny Machado Belts Two Home Runs, Plates Three In Win

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs in Friday's 5-1 win over the Giants, tying the franchise record for most home runs with 163 for San Diego in his career. The home runs represented numbers 24 and 25 this year, and he also collected three RBI in the contest, scored twice, and stole a base. The 32-year-old has been hitting well lately, going 20-for-59 (.339) over the last two weeks (14 games) with five home runs and has now put together a .274-25-89-69-9 line with a .338 wOBA and 121 wRC+ for the season. Fantasy managers will hope he remains hot heading into the fantasy baseball playoffs.
11 hours ago   
Jackson Merrill  • CF  •  Padres

Jackson Merrill Injures His Knee On Friday

San Diego Padres rookie outfielder Jackson Merrill (knee) fouled a ball off his leg (just above his knee) in Friday night's win over the division-rival San Francisco Giants at Petco Park and was replaced in center field by Tyler Wade due to a left-patellar contusion, according to the team. Before hitting the showers early, Merrill went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in the 5-1 victory. The good news for the 21-year-old is that X-rays came back clear on his knee, so fantasy managers can consider him day-to-day heading into Game 2 of the series on Saturday. Don't be surprised if Merrill is out, though. The former 27th overall pick in 2021 has been a huge clutch piece of the Friars' offense in his first year in the big leagues in 2024 and entered Friday's game with a .292/.323/.498 slash line with an .821 OPS, 22 homers, 82 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Merrill is relevant in all fantasy formats and hopefully won't miss too much time.
18 hours ago   
Yu Darvish  • SP  •  Padres

Yu Darvish Activated, Starting On Wednesday

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (elbow) was activated off the injured list earlier on Wednesday and is slated to start this evening against the Detroit Tigers. It has been a long recovery process for the 38-year-old as he has not taken a major league mound since late May due to elbow inflammation. However, despite the lengthy timetable, Darvish did not embark on a rehab assignment, which could suggest he may face a minor pitch limit through his first handful of starts. Before the injury, Darvish held a 3.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 15:53 BB:K ratio across 56 innings of work. Darvish should be rostered in all leagues down the stretch and should be started in all formats this evening against the Tigers, who hold a high 24.3% K rate against right-handers this summer.
3 days ago   
Joe Musgrove  • SP  •  Padres

Joe Musgrove Turns In Another Quality Start, Win Monday

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove extended his quality-start streak to three in Monday's 3-0 win over the Tigers. Musgrove pitched six innings, allowing three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. The 31-year-old missed a chunk of the season due to an elbow issue and pitched poorly before going on the injured list. However, he has looked much better in his five starts since returning, posting a stellar 1.30 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings. Musgrove had been a consistent fantasy option prior to the start of this season, so he could serve as a potential league-winner if he can stay hot for the final month of the season. He will have a decent chance to extend his quality-start streak in his next matchup against the Giants.
4 days ago   
Yu Darvish  • SP  •  Padres

Yu Darvish Likely To Return On Wednesday

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (groin) is scheduled to take the mound and throw a bullpen session on Monday. Darvish appears to be on the verge of returning to the mound after being sidelined since late May. The 38-year-old is expected to come off the injured list and start against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. It will be his first start in months, which means Darvish is likely going to be limited during his first game back. The right-hander holds a 3.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 53/15 K/BB ratio across 11 starts this season. He should be a viable fantasy option for managers in need of starting pitching down the stretch of the season. UPDATE: Manager Mike Shildt confirmed on Monday that Darvish will start on Wednesday.
5 days ago   
Fernando Tatis Jr.  • RF  •  Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. Back From Injured List And Starting On Monday

The San Diego Padres activated outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (thigh) from the 60-day injured list on Monday, and he's starting in right field and batting second in the series opener at Petco Park against the Detroit Tigers and left-hander Tyler Holton. Tatis has spent the last 72 days on the IL due to a stress reaction in his right femur (thigh bone). The 25-year-old All-Star played with the injury almost the entire first three months of the season and was the team leader with 14 home runs while also ranking 13th in the National League with an .821 OPS at the time he was put on the IL. Tatis had been taking live at-bats at the team's spring training complex in Arizona against minor-leaguers before his activation, but he still could have some rest days in the near future to ease him back in. But when he's in the lineup for the Friars, he's a must-start in fantasy lineups.
5 days ago   
Yu Darvish  • SP  •  Padres

Yu Darvish Throws 66 Pitches In Controlled Game

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (elbow) threw 66 pitches in a controlled minor-league game on Friday evening. Bernie Wilson of the Associated Press reported that the 38-year-old felt well after the session. However, his next steps still have yet to be determined. Darvish has been sidelined since June with elbow inflammation. However, seeing that he is ramping up his pitch count without seeing any setbacks is a great sign. Before the injury, Darvish held a solid 3.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, with a 15:53 BB:K ratio across 56 1/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should continue to hold Darvish on an IL spot if they have the room, as he could be nearing a potential return to the major leagues.
7 days ago   
Manny Machado  • 3B  •  Padres

Manny Machado Smacks Three-Run Shot For 23rd Home Run

San Diego Padres designated hitter Manny Machado had a three-hit day at the plate in Friday's 13-5 rout over the Rays, including a three-run blast in the second inning that gave him four RBI on the day. The 32-year-old also scored twice in the game. It was Machado's fifth multi-hit game in his last eight, going 13-for-34 (.382) over that stretch with three doubles and three home runs. It has been another productive year for the 6x All-Star, putting up a .274-23-83-67-8 line with a .336 wOBA and 120 wRC+. He'll look to finish strong, although history suggests that might be a tall task as the final month of the season has been his worst throughout his career, with a career average of .258 and a 106 wRC+ in the final month.
7 days ago   
Xander Bogaerts  • 2B  •  Padres

Xander Bogaerts Getting A Day Off

San Diego Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts is getting the day off in Thursday's series finale at Busch Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals. In his place, Jake Cronenworth will shift to second base and will bat third, while Luis Arraez makes the start at first base and hits in his customary leadoff spot versus Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray. Donovan Solano will serve as the designated hitter and bat fifth. This will be Bogaerts' first day off since July 13. The 31-year-old missed a big chunk of time this year with an injured shoulder but has been much better since his return than before going on the injured list. Since coming back on July 12, Bogaerts has hit .331 (49-for-148) with 15 RBI, but it's come with just two home runs. The veteran second baseman has only six homers in 2024 to go with eight steals. Solano makes a lot of contact (he's hitting over .300 in a bench role), but like Bogaerts, he has little power.
Aug 29   
Ethan Salas  • C  •  Padres

Ethan Salas Productive For High-A Fort Wayne

San Diego Padres catcher prospect Ethan Salas went 2-for-4 with three RBI Wednesday for High-A Fort Wayne. The 18-year-old produced his fifth multi-hit, multi-RBI performance for Fort Wayne this season. The Padres top prospect has 22 hits and 15 RBI in August. The No. 2 catcher prospect in all of baseball, Salas has come on lately at High-A. This season, he is hitting .210/.296/.318 with four homers and 46 RBI. At just 18 years old, the numbers aren't eye-popping, but Salas is still adjusting to each new level of pro ball. The upside is sky-high for the youngster. It might be a bit before he is behind the plate for the Padres but his development will be worth following.
Aug 29   
Manny Machado  • 3B  •  Padres

Manny Machado Homers Again In Tuesday's Win

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado went 1-for-4 in Tuesday's game as his team beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5. His home run came in the second inning off Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas. This marks the second straight game in which Machado homered, as he also hit a two-run shot on Monday. The 32-year-old has been having a productive season at the plate but has been exceptionally hot lately. In his last seven games, he is slashing .333/.429/.667 with two homers, five RBI, and a 4:3 BB:K. Machado will look to continue his hot streak down the stretch as the Padres look to secure an NL Wild Card spot.
Aug 28   
Yu Darvish  • SP  •  Padres

Yu Darvish Throws Simulated Game

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt said that right-hander Yu Darvish (elbow) had three up-and-downs during a simulated game on Sunday at Petco Park before the team's game against the New York Mets. Darvish felt good after the session and appears to be moving forward towards the next step of his rehab process, which will either be a minor-league rehab assignment or another structured simulated game. The 38-year-old veteran Japanese hurler was recently returned to the 15-day injured list after a long stay on the restricted list this year due to some personal matters. He hasn't appeared in a game in the majors in 2024 since May 29, so given the long layoff, it would be reasonable to expect Darvish to need at least several rehab starts before rejoining SD's starting rotation. With time running out in the regular season, Darvish may only make several starts for fantasy managers the rest of the way.
Aug 28   
Ha-Seong Kim  • SS  •  Padres

Ha-Seong Kim To Rejoin The Team In St. Louis

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt said on 97.3 The Fan that shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (shoulder) is expected to rejoin the team during their series in St. Louis against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium this week. Kim will most likely resume baseball activities during the team's road trip, although it's unclear if he'll come off the 10-day injured list on the first day he's eligible on Thursday. The Padres never considered the 28-year-old infielder's shoulder injury to be all that serious, so his placement on the IL was more a precaution than anything. It would be a bit of a surprise if he's not back in the starting lineup by this weekend's series in Tampa against the Rays at Tropicana Field. In the meantime, rookie Mason McCoy should continue to see most of the action at the 6 for the Friars while batting ninth. The 29-year-old has held his own with five hits in his 17 at-bats over six games since Kim's injury.
Aug 28   
Fernando Tatis Jr.  • RF  •  Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. To Face Live Pitching Soon

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (thigh) continues to rehab in Arizona at the team's spring training complex and is now ready to face live pitching as he continues his progression, according to manager Mike Shildt. Details have been pretty scarce on Tatis since he landed on the injured list back in late June due to a stress reaction in his thigh, but he has begun baseball activities and could be cleared to go on a minor-league rehab assignment soon once he starts facing live pitching. Barring a setback, the 25-year-old superstar should be able to return to right field in San Diego at some point in September, but he's quickly running out of time to make an impact for his fantasy managers. Tatis is a must-start in all fantasy lineups when he's active, even though he might have to shake off some rust when he returns. He was hitting .279 (86-for-308) with 14 homers, 36 RBI and eight steals at the time of his injury.
Aug 27   
Manny Machado  • 3B  •  Padres

Manny Machado Homers In Monday's Win

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado had a big day at the plate on Monday as his team beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4. He went 2-for-4 with a homer, three RBI, a walk and three runs. His home run was a two-run shot in the first inning against Cardinals starter Kyle Gibson. Machado has had a solid season on the plate but has been exceptional lately. In his last seven games, he is slashing .333/.429/.667 with two homers, six RBI, and a 4:3 BB: K. If Machado can keep this up, he will look to help lead the Padres to an NL Wild Card birth.
Aug 27   
Elias Díaz  • C  •  Padres

Padres Sign Elias Diaz To Minor-League Deal

The San Diego Padres signed catcher Elias Diaz to a minor-league contract on Monday, according to sources. Diaz will report to Triple-A El Paso and will provide the Friars with extra catching depth behind Kyle Higashioka and Luis Campusano to close out the 2024 season. Diaz was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and also won the All-Star game MVP before collapsing since this year's All-Star break, causing the Colorado Rockies to put him on outright waivers. The 33-year-old Venezuelan backstop saw his power drop considerably (only five home runs) in 84 games for the Rockies this year, but he did hit .270 (82-for-304) with 36 RBI in 327 trips to the plate. It's unlikely Diaz will see significant playing time in San Diego the rest of the year unless one of Higashioka or Campusano miss time with an injury. You can leave Diaz on the waiver wire for the time being.
Aug 27   
Randy Vásquez  • SP  •  Padres

Randy Vasquez Recalled And Starting On Monday

The San Diego Padres recalled right-hander Randy Vasquez from Triple-A El Paso on Monday and optioned right-hander Lake Bachar to El Paso after Sunday's game against the New York Mets in a corresponding move. Vasquez will rejoin San Diego's starting rotation for Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The 25-year-old will be replacing knuckleballer Matt Waldron, who was sent down to the minors late last week after getting hit around in his last several outings. He'll now get another shot after going 3-6 with a 4.63 ERA and 1.51 WHIP with 53 strikeouts and 22 walks in 81 2/3 innings over 17 starts in his first year in SD. If Vasquez can hold his own in his return to the rotation, he could stick around until Yu Darvish (elbow) comes off the injured list. The Dominican makes for a shaky fantasy streamer, with his last MLB start coming back on Aug. 8.
Aug 26   
Jackson Merrill  • CF  •  Padres

Jackson Merrill Blasts Walkoff Homer

San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill came up clutch for his team during Sunday's game against the New York Mets. The rookie slugger saved his lone hit of the game for the ninth inning. Merrill blasted a solo home run off right-hander Edwin Diaz to give his team the win. The left-handed slugger is now tied with Colton Cowser for the most homers by a rookie at 19. He's hitting .288 with 72 RBI across 127 games this season. Fantasy managers should continue locking Merrill into their lineup on a daily basis.
Aug 25   
Yu Darvish  • SP  •  Padres

Yu Darvish Tosses Simulated Game

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (groin) took the mound for a simulated game on Sunday. The right-hander reportedly looked good as he threw 54 pitches and got 13 outs along the way. Darvish was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday. That being said, fantasy managers shouldn't expect Darvish to be back in the big league rotation until some point in September. Before the injury, Darvish held a 3.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 53/15 K/BB ratio across 11 starts for the Padres. It's uncertain at this point if Darvish will offer much or any fantasy value to managers in redraft formats. The timetable for his return is still unknown, so fantasy managers will need to stay tuned for more updates.
Aug 25   
Luis Arraez  • 1B  •  Padres

Luis Arraez Swats Rare Homer In Win

San Diego Padres first baseman Luis Arraez hit a rare home run in Friday night's easy win over the visiting New York Mets at Petco Park, going deep for just the fourth time this season in the victory. Before tacking on an RBI single in the third inning of Friday's rout against New York, Arraez gave the Padres an early 1-0 lead with a solo homer to ambush Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn in the opening frame. The 27-year-old All-Star contact specialist hasn't been quite as good as he was when he won the National League batting title in 2023, but he's still batting a strong .309 (117-for-379) with four long balls, 31 RBI, 45 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 88 outings since joining San Diego earlier this season.
Aug 24   
LEGEND