The Padres kept the pressure on Saturday night, erasing an early deficit and walking away with a 7-5 win over the Minnesota Twins to move to 70-60 on the season.
It started badly for San Diego. By the time the third inning was winding down, the Padres were staring at a 3-0 hole. Jackson Merrill got them on the board with a solo shot to center field, and when the deficit ballooned to 5-1, he came through again in the sixth with an RBI single to keep the comeback alive.
The real turn came in the next inning. Jake Cronenworth delivered a double that brought in two runs, Manny Machado reached on a fielder’s choice that led to an error, and Ty France added a single as San Diego finally pushed in front.
Fernando Tatis Jr. added an RBI single in the ninth to put the finishing touch on win No. 70.
There was also a concerning note on the pitching side. Casey Mize lasted only 2.2 innings, giving up four earned runs and three home runs before exiting with what the team later described as a right ankle sprain.
“Update from the Padres clubhouse: RHP Casey Mize left today’s game with a right ankle sprain.”
Joe Musgrove’s rehab path hit another snag, too. The right-hander said a “tweak in the gym” forced him to slow down after his most recent rehab start, one in which he reached 97 mph for the first time since 2017. That had been part of his push toward a 2026 debut, but the setback has now pushed things back.
Beyond the immediate injury news, the Padres are still being tied to possible offseason movement. Even after the early-August trade deadline passed, speculation hasn’t cooled, and San Diego has been linked to a blockbuster deal for an All-Star catcher.
That chatter has only grown because catcher production has remained a weak spot for the Padres this season, even if the group has been better lately. It has also fueled discussion around Ethan Salas, who has been rolling since his promotion to Triple-A. In 18 games, the top prospect is hitting .338 with 20 RBIs, three home runs and a 1.001 OPS.
In Other News...
Manny Machados Familiar Slump Is Becoming A Padres September Problem
Manny Machados August has looked a lot like a player searching for the right gear at the wrong time. The Padres third baseman has gone through long stretches of quiet at the plate, with his production leaning heavily toward singles and far less of the extra-base damage San Diego usually counts on from him. On some nights he has looked locked in, but the overall pattern has been inconsistency at a moment when the lineup can least afford it.
San Diego enters September with a narrow grip on the NL Wild Card race, and Machados bat sits right at the center of that tension. The Padres do not need him to carry the entire offense, but they do need more than brief flashes if they want to protect their position down the stretch. A familiar slump has a way of feeling bigger in the final month, and for a team trying to stay ahead in a crowded race, every quiet series from one of its biggest hitters tightens the pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Still Face A Real Sung-Mun Song Question
Sung-Mun Song has given the Padres a little bit of everything since arriving, just not much at the plate. In 62 games, he has shown the kind of plate discipline and defensive versatility that keeps a player in the mix, while also flashing above-average fielding and baserunning that make him useful in more than one spot. For a team that has spent plenty of time patching together its roster, that sort of flexibility still carries value.
The larger question is whether there is enough offensive growth left for Song to become more than a limited role player in San Diego. His power and contact quality have lagged, even after injuries and time in the minors complicated his path, but his track record in the KBO offers at least a reason to think there may be another gear somewhere in there. The Padres do not need him to be a star, but they do need to know whether the upside is real or whether his current profile is close to the final product. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Pulled Off A Gritty Comeback After An Early Scare
The Padres had to work through an awkward early turn Tuesday, falling behind 5-1 before settling in and putting together a 7-5 comeback against the Twins. San Diegos offense did enough to erase the deficit, while the pitching side was forced to adjust after an early exit in the opposing dugout changed the shape of the game.
Minnesota starter Casey Mize was hurt when he slipped on the dugout steps and sprained his ankle, though imaging came back negative and he is day-to-day. From there, the Padres took advantage of the opening, with Griffin Canning handling the middle innings to steady things before Mason Miller finished the job for his 32nd save, another reminder that San Diego can survive a rough start when the game stays within reach. [Read more 🡒]