The Padres get one more shot to split their four-game set with Atlanta, but the assignment is a rough one: an afternoon getaway game against Chris Sale, with Griffin Canning taking the ball for San Diego.
On paper, that’s a steep hill for the Padres to climb. Sale has been sharp lately, allowing just four earned runs over his last five outings, and San Diego is trying to match that with a pitcher who has had a brutal season.
Canning is 1-8 with a 6.67 ERA overall, and his last start was another short one. Against the Kansas City Royals last Saturday, he was tagged for four earned runs in 3-2/3 innings.
That puts even more pressure on a Padres bullpen that has already been stretched thin. San Diego has been dealing with a shortage of relievers and has been forced to keep shifting roles around. The latest move was Ron Marinaccio being designated for assignment, while Randy Vasquez returned to the bullpen after dealing with health and injury issues.
If there’s a reason for San Diego to feel better about its chances, it’s the bats. The offense has shown some life, and a few of the big names are starting to heat up.
Jackson Merrill is the one to keep an eye on after launching four home runs in his last four games. Fernando Tatis Jr. already delivered the longest home run of the season at 474 feet earlier this year.
Manny Machado has joined the surge, too. His two-homer game on Tuesday pushed him to 22 home runs for the season, even though his batting average is still sitting just above the Mendoza line at .202.
The Padres badly need this one, but that’s been the story for a while now. The results have come in fits and starts, and with a shaky rotation putting them behind early so often, even their wins have been hard work.
In Other News...
Padres May Finally Be Closing In On The Rotation Help They Need
With injuries thinning out the rotation, the Padres are still looking for a starter who can steady things before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. The need is obvious enough that any credible arm with experience is going to draw attention, and one name that has surfaced is a familiar one from the American League side.
Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden recently pointed to Toronto as a possible fit, noting that the Blue Jays could have reason to move a veteran starter who is headed for free agency after the season. For San Diego, the appeal would be less about splash and more about reliability, especially if the front office believes it can turn a late-summer addition into October insurance. [Read more 🡒]
Tatis Sounds Off As Padres Face Brutal Deadline Decision
The Padres have spent much of the 2026 season searching for offense, and Ty France has been one of the few steady answers in the lineup. With the trade deadline approaching on Aug. 3, San Diego is still in the mix but facing a tough decision as it sits four games behind the final National League wild-card spot, a gap that keeps the front office weighing whether to push in or pivot.
Fernando Tatis Jr. added another layer to that conversation by pointing to Frances value at the plate, a reminder of how much the veteran infielder has meant to a team that has needed production wherever it can find it. France has also sounded genuinely happy to be in San Diego, which only makes the possibility of a deadline move more complicated for a club trying to balance present needs against the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Padres May Have Found The Spark Their Lineup Desperately Needed
Luis Rengifo arrived in San Diego on a minor league deal in late June, a low-risk addition after his release from Milwaukee, and he has already given the Padres a useful jolt. In a small sample since getting the call, he has hit well enough to stand out on a roster that has been searching for offense, while also giving the club flexibility by moving around the diamond.
The early returns have been encouraging because the Padres have needed exactly this kind of contribution from the bottom and middle of the lineup mix. Rengifo has handled second base and left field, and he has enough defensive range to cover several other spots if needed, which only adds to the appeal. The bigger question is whether this stretch is a true turning point or just a hot run that can keep the Padres afloat for now. [Read more 🡒]