The Padres head into San Francisco with a lot on the line and a rotation setup that gives this series some extra juice.
San Diego, coming off a sweep of the Washington Nationals, opens a seven-game road trip with three against the Giants. The Padres sit at 78-68 and hold a half-game edge over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the National League’s third and final wild-card spot. After the Giants, they’ll head to Coors Field for four games against the Colorado Rockies.
San Francisco has its own momentum. The Giants just swept the playoff-hopeful St.
Louis Cardinals and have won four of their last five. The Padres have taken six of the first 10 meetings between the teams this season.
Friday’s opener brings the headline matchup: LHP Robbie Ray against RHP Anthony Molina. Ray returns to San Francisco after spending the last three years with the Giants before being traded to the Padres ahead of the deadline.
Since the deal, he has a 4.71 ERA in six starts, with 20 strikeouts and 20 walks over 28.2 innings. With the Giants earlier this year, he posted a 3.08 ERA over 122.2 innings in 122.2 innings.
Molina has worked three times for San Francisco, including two starts, after coming over from the Atlanta Braves ahead of the trade deadline. He owns a 1.88 ERA in 14.1 innings, with 13 strikeouts and two walks.
Saturday turns to RHP Michael King against LHP Cesar Perdomo. King has been one of the Padres’ most reliable arms since July 1, going 5-2 with a 2.26 ERA and 61 strikeouts over 71.2 innings in 12 starts. For the season, he’s at a 3.00 ERA across 29 starts and 168 innings.
Perdomo is still in the early stages of his big league run. He debuted on Sept. 1 with four innings of one-run relief against the Pittsburgh Pirates, then followed that up with his first career start Sunday against the New York Mets, when he threw six shutout innings and struck out four.
Sunday Night Baseball closes the set with RHP Nick Pivetta versus RHP Logan Webb. Pivetta returned to the Padres on Monday and was sharp right away, working five scoreless innings with two strikeouts against the Nationals.
It was his first MLB appearance since April 12. Earlier this season, he also shut down the Giants on April 1, throwing five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and allowing just one hit.
Webb has put together a mixed season, carrying a 4.10 ERA over 155.2 innings. He’s already seen San Diego twice, giving up three earned runs in six innings on March 31 with five strikeouts, then allowing six earned runs in four innings on May 5 with four strikeouts.
Friday’s game starts at 7:15 p.m. PT/10:15 p.m.
ET and will air on Apple TV+. Saturday begins at 1:05 p.m.
PT/4:05 p.m. ET on Padres.TV and the MLB app.
Sunday’s finale is set for 4:20 p.m. PT/7:20 p.m.
ET on Peacock.
In Other News...
Dodgers Just Lost Their Biggest Threat At The Worst Time
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For the Padres, the timing matters as much as the name. Ohtani will be ineligible to play until at least Sept. 23, and he will not pitch again this season, which changes the shape of the Dodgers roster and the pressure around this race. Even with Los Angeles still deep enough to threaten, San Diego can now lean into a division chase that looks a little different without one of baseballs biggest difference-makers looming over every series. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Suddenly Have A Real Ethan Salas Postseason Decision
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Salas has appeared in five games since his MLB debut and is still looking for his first hit, yet his name is suddenly attached to a decision with October stakes. For the Padres, it is one of those choices that says as much about the moment as it does about the player, with the club balancing urgency now against what Salas might mean down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Roster Shuffle Just Cost One Recent Debut Player His Spot
Blake Hunts brief run on the Padres roster has come to an end, with the club releasing the catcher after he cleared waivers following his designation for assignment. Hunt, who made his big league debut with San Diego this season, had only limited major league exposure and spent most of his time working in the minors.
The move clears room for Nick Pivetta, who was activated from the injured list and gives the Padres another arm back in the mix as they sort through the roster. For Hunt, it leaves his next step uncertain after a season that offered a first taste of the majors but not much runway to build on it. [Read more 🡒]