The Padres are headed into tonight’s game against the Giants with one certainty and a whole lot of guesswork. Bradgley Rodriguez will open, but after that, the picture gets murky fast.
That’s been the reality for San Diego lately as the club keeps leaning on its “pitcher by committee approach,” and it’s happening while the Padres remain in the wild-card race. They need a win, and Rodriguez is the first piece of the plan.
He’s also been tied to some unusual trade chatter, including a report from Steve Adams of MLBTradeRumors.com that has him being flipped in a deal for a controllable starter. It sounds like a stretch, but with Padres GM A.J.
Preller, nothing is ever completely off the table.
As for who follows Rodriguez, the list is thin. JP Sears and Wandy Peralta were used last night against the Giants, so they’re unavailable. Randy Vasquez is also out after covering 4-2/3 scoreless innings in relief, which at least preserved some arms for tonight.
There are still a few names in play for later work. Adrian Morejon could be there in the late innings after throwing just one inning on Tuesday. Jeremiah Estrada is another possibility after logging a single inning earlier this week following a stint on the DL.
If the Padres need someone to cover more than a brief stretch, German Marquez is a candidate, assuming they choose to use him that way. Griffin Canning is a smaller possibility, too, especially after he and Kyle Hart both pitched in Wednesday’s win over the Colorado Rockies.
The Giants, meanwhile, have a much clearer plan. Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt gets the ball, coming off a shaky start against the Angels last Sunday in which he allowed four runs over five innings. San Diego’s offense could use a bounce-back night after being held quiet against Robbie Ray of the Giants on Wednesday.
In Other News...
Mason Miller Just Made Padres Deadline Tension Feel Very Real
The Padres are still feeling the pressure of a deadline that arrives with the club hovering just above the break-even point and three games left before the window closes. A loss to the Giants only sharpened the sense that this is a roster in motion, with the front office weighing ways to steady a rotation that has needed help and a bullpen that has been one of the teams clearer strengths.
Mason Miller only added to the intrigue by talking openly about the deadline and the rumors that inevitably follow a pitcher of his stature. His comments came with the kind of perspective that matters in late July, when San Diego is looking at starting pitching upgrades, possible bullpen movement and even outfield help, all while trying to decide how aggressive it wants to be without losing sight of the cost of doing business. [Read more 🡒]
Ethan Salas Promotion Could Be Hinting At A Bigger Padres Move
Ethan Salas climb to Triple-A El Paso after a strong run at Double-A San Antonio is the kind of development that usually says as much about the organizations bigger picture as it does about one prospects progress. For the Padres, it also lands at a time when the catching picture is crowded, with three backstops on the roster and a young player moving quickly enough to make the depth chart feel a little less settled than it did a week ago.
That is why Salas promotion has started to read like more than just a reward for performance. It has prompted some roster logic around what San Diego might be planning next, especially with Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano both in the conversation as possible pieces if the club decides to reshape its catching mix. Nothing is confirmed, and there are no official trade reports attached to either name, but the timing is enough to keep the speculation alive. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Cannot Afford Another Deadline Mistake With Rotation Help Desperate
The Padres keep circling the starting-pitching market, and Freddy Peralta has emerged as one of the more intriguing names for a club that badly needs help in the rotation. The Mets right-hander has the kind of track record that still gets attention around the league, even after a rough season has made the price tag and the risk harder to sort through.
Peraltas current numbers do not exactly scream certainty, but that has not stopped contenders from weighing the upside against the possibility of paying too much. San Diego is not alone in the chase, with Arizona also in the mix, and the real test for the Padres may be whether they can resist turning a thin market into another deadline overreach. [Read more 🡒]