The Padres got a familiar bat back on Sunday, reinstating veteran infielder Ty France from the paternity leave list and sending Mason McCoy to Triple-A El Paso to open the roster spot.
France had been away for three days after the birth of his child, and his return gives manager Craig Stammen a steady right-handed option at first base as San Diego works through the closing weeks of the regular season.
This season, the 32-year-old has been one of the more reliable offensive pieces in the Padres’ lineup. In 138 games, he’s hitting .294 with a .873 OPS, along with 20 home runs and 63 RBIs. That production has put him alongside Luis Arraez and Manny Machado as one of the club’s most consistent contributors at the plate.
McCoy filled in while France was out, handling defensive work at second base and shortstop. The 31-year-old has played in 19 games for San Diego this year and remains a flexible depth option the team can turn to again if the need comes up later in the season.
For McCoy, the trip back to El Paso doesn’t necessarily close the door on another call-up before the year is over. The Padres made clear that another opportunity could come depending on roster needs.
The move matters because San Diego is still fighting for a National League wild-card spot, and France’s return strengthens a lineup that needs dependable production down the stretch. At first base in particular, the Padres can’t afford a lapse now, and getting France back helps keep that spot in good shape as the push toward October continues.
In Other News...
Padres Suddenly Have A Real October Decision With Dustin Harris
Dustin Harris has turned a late-summer detour into a real opportunity for the Padres. Released by Triple-A El Paso on Aug. 5, he was back with the organization two days later, then got the call to the big club on Aug. 24. Since arriving in San Diego, Harris has hit his way into the conversation, batting .355 and making a case with timely production that has fit right into the clubs push down the stretch.
What makes the next few weeks interesting is where the Padres have already chosen to use him. They started Harris in a key spot in the batting order against a left-handed pitcher, a sign that this is no longer just about getting him some at-bats. For a team sorting through postseason roster choices, Harris has moved from an afterthought to a player whose role could be decided by how much the Padres trust that recent offensive burst when October arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Still Have One Ramon Laureano Question Hanging Over October
Ramon Laureano arrived in San Diego as a trade-deadline pickup with the kind of bat and energy the Padres hoped would deepen their lineup for the stretch run, but his 2026 season has been shaped instead by the injury list. The outfielder has been dealing with hip inflammation, and in a recent interview he said the pain first hit him on April 8 before he kept playing through it for nearly two months, a decision that clearly affected what he was able to do on the field.
For the Padres, the immediate question is less about the regular season than whether Laureano can get healthy enough to matter in October. A postseason return looks unlikely, but he has not completely shut the door on it, and he is still working through rehab while also staring at free agency after the 2026 season. Even with the calendar tightening, San Diego still has a reason to monitor every step of his recovery. [Read more 🡒]
Mason Miller Faces A Late-Season Question The Padres Cant Ignore
Mason Miller has the kind of arm that can make a game look simple for a few batters at a time, which is why the Padres have leaned on his fastball and slider in the ninth inning. But as the season grinds into its final stretch, there is a quieter subplot around their closer: he does have a changeup in the mix, even if it has barely surfaced when the games matter most.
Miller has been experimenting with the grip and the speed of the pitch, trying to make it usable enough to matter without disrupting the way he attacks hitters now. The problem is the obvious one for a team in a pennant race, where matchups are tight and every pitch is scrutinized. He knows the challenge is less about learning a new weapon than finding a way to trust it when the pressure is highest. [Read more 🡒]