The Padres didn’t just answer Arizona’s punch with one of their own - they flattened it.
San Diego rolled to a 9-4 win over the Diamondbacks, evening the series at one game apiece after getting a huge lift from the trade deadline and then backing it up on the field. Randy Vasquez was the surprise of the night, stepping back into the rotation and delivering a strong start while the Padres offense jumped on Eduardo Rodrguez early and never really let go.
The tone was set fast. Manny Machado opened the scoring with an RBI double, Jackson Merrill followed with a single to bring him home, and Xander Bogaerts added another RBI hit to make it 3-0 before Arizona could settle in.
The second inning brought more of the same. Machado came through again with an RBI hit that drove in two, Merrill added yet another single that scored a run, and suddenly San Diego had pushed the lead to 6-0.
By that point, Vasquez was in complete control. He finished with six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and a walk.
The Padres kept piling on from there. Machado added an RBI single in the sixth, and Freddy Fermin chipped in with a two-run double to stretch the margin to 8-0, putting the game in what looked like full cruise control.
Arizona made one push in the seventh against German Marquez, cutting into the lead with four runs and home runs from Nolan Arenado and James McCann. That trimmed the Padres advantage to 8-4, but Bradgley Rodriguez and Griffin Canning each worked a scoreless inning to stop the comeback attempt.
Jake Cronenworth added one more run in the ninth with an RBI single to close out the 9-4 final.
Machado and Merrill drove the night offensively. Machado finished with three hits, four RBIs and a run scored, while Merrill also had three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Cronenworth joined them with a three-hit game as well. Both Machado and Merrill have been swinging hot bats lately, and that matters for a Padres lineup trying to keep moving in the right direction.
The win pulled San Diego back even in the series at 1-1 and left the Padres within a game of Arizona in the wild card standings. Next up, the Padres will send one of their new trade deadline acquisitions to the mound, with Casey Mize set to face Mitch Bratt for Arizona.
In Other News...
Padres Roster Crunch Could Force Another Tough Pitching Decision
The Padres roster squeeze has already reached a point where a familiar arm is on the move. Matt Waldron, who debuted with San Diego in 2023 and spent parts of four seasons in the organization, was designated for assignment before the Toronto Blue Jays stepped in and claimed him off waivers. Toronto had an opening after transferring left-hander Patrick Corbin to the 60-day injured list, and Waldron now gets a fresh start elsewhere after carving out a role with the Padres over multiple seasons.
For San Diego, the bigger issue is that one roster decision rarely comes alone this time of year. The club has been juggling pitching depth and the pressure of keeping the staff intact, and another move may be coming as it tries to clear space for Robbie Ray. With arms already in flux, the Padres could be forced into another uncomfortable call before the roster settles. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Send Clear Message After Dodgers Raise The Stakes In NL West
The Dodgers deadline move for Tarik Skubal only sharpened the division race, and the Padres were quick to treat it as the latest reminder of what they are up against. Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts both acknowledged the strategy behind Los Angeles push, while San Diego kept its focus on the bigger picture: staying in the playoff hunt and playing its way into October.
For a club sitting third in the National League West and still battling the Arizona Diamondbacks for a postseason berth, the message was less about the stars in the other dugout and more about what San Diego controls from here. The Padres know the standings leave little room for drift, and the response from within the room suggests they are intent on meeting the moment rather than chasing the headlines coming out of Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]
Preller Just Reignited The Padres Debate Fans Know Too Well
A.J. Preller did what he has done so often at the deadline, and it immediately pulled the Padres back into one of the franchises most familiar conversations. By landing Robbie Ray and Casey Mize, then parting with top prospect Kash Mayfield, the president of baseball operations again showed he is willing to move real future value if he thinks it helps the club in the present.
For San Diego, that approach is always the point of tension. Preller has made clear that his priority is building a team capable of chasing championships, even when it means dealing away some of the organizations best young talent, and the latest deadline moves only sharpen the long-running debate over whether that style gives the Padres their best chance now or costs them too much later. [Read more 🡒]