RADIO
Ty France Drives in Two in Game 2 Loss
San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France carried his team's offense in its 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, recording two hits and two RBI in three at-bats. The 32-year-old has been hot to begin the postseason, logging seven hits, two RBI, and two runs scored in 15 at-bats across four games. France had a resurgent regular season for the Padres as well, slashing .295/.363/.502 with 21 home runs, 72 RBI, 59 runs scored, and one stolen base across 500 plate appearances. While San Diego has now dropped each of the first two games of the NLDS, France has done his job. If the Padres are going to mount a comeback against the Brewers, they will likely need France to stay locked in.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Mason Miller Blows Save in Game 2 of National League Division Series
San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller had a rare off outing in his team's 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday. The 28-year-old was asked to get a six-out save and came up just short, allowing a hit, three walks, and two earned runs across 1 2/3 innings. Miller cruised through the eighth inning, but he walked three of the first four batters he faced in the ninth before allowing the game-winning two-run single to Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio. Miller was arguably the best relief pitcher in baseball this season, recording a 1.67 ERA and 0.90 WHIP with 129 strikeouts and 38 saves across 70 innings (66 games). However, the flame-throwing right-hander looked more mortal in the second half of the season, recording a 2.67 ERA with a 10.6% walk rate after the All-Star break. If San Diego is going to come back from down two games to zero against Milwaukee, it will need Miller to bounce back.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Joe Musgrove Returns to the Mound in Game 1 of Wild-Card Series
San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove made his return to the big-league mound in his team's 8-0 win over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday. The 33-year-old worked around two hits and a walk to pitch a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts. Musgrove missed the entire 2025 and 2026 regular seasons due to elbow surgery and numerous health-related setbacks. However, San Diego activated him from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday and included him on their roster for the Wild Card Series. Musgrove's usage out of the bullpen in a blowout indicates that San Diego may not be eager to thrust him into high-leverage situations just yet. Still, the veteran may end up playing a significant role for the Padres if San Diego can make a deep playoff push.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Manny Machado Powers Padres to Game 1 Victory on Tuesday
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado helped lead his team to an 8-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored. Machado battled through a bit of a slump at the plate to end the regular season, hitting just .200 across 99 plate appearances in September. The 34-year-old's overall numbers were also below his usual standard, as he hit just .217/.303/.407 in 677 trips to the plate. Still, Machado remained an excellent run producer, slugging 30 home runs and logging 91 RBI. The veteran also has plenty of experience in the playoffs, as he's hit 13 home runs across 222 career postseason plate appearances. Machado could be a player to watch in Game 2 on Wednesday, as he's hit .360 with two home runs in 25 career plate appearances against Cubs starting pitcher Kevin Gausman.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Fernando Tatis Jr. Stars in Padres Game 1 Win on Tuesday
San Diego Padres outfielder/second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. was one of the stars of his team's 8-0 win over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday night. The 27-year-old went two-for-three with a solo home run, a walk, and two additional runs scored. Tatis Jr. set the tone by homering on the first pitch thrown by Cubs starter Matthew Boyd. Tatis Jr.'s big night was a continuation of his hot finish to the regular season, as he hit .337 with eight home runs across 104 plate appearances in September. Tatis Jr. has also been remarkably productive in the postseason to this point in his career, hitting .333/.432/.746 with seven home runs, 13 RBI, 18 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 74 plate appearances in the playoffs. Tatis Jr. and the Padres will have a chance to advance to the National League Division Series on Wednesday night against Cubs right-hander Kevin Gausman.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Michael King Fantastic in Wild-Card Win Over Cubs
San Diego Padres right-hander Michael King was nearly flawless in the team's 8-0 win on Tuesday over the visiting Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series at Petco Park. King threw seven shutout innings with only one hit allowed, three walks, and eight strikeouts to give the Friars a 1-0 lead in the short three-game series. The 31-year-old veteran did not allow a hit until the seventh inning, when infielder Nico Hoerner beat out a soft-hit ground ball down the line at third base. It was a masterful performance for King, who went 12-10 during the 2026 regular season with a 3.21 ERA (4.13 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 159 strikeouts and 70 walks in 185 innings pitched across his 32 starts in his third year in San Diego. If the Padres advance past Chicago in the Wild-Card Series, King's next start would likely come in Game 2 of the National League Division Series in Milwaukee against the Brewers on Sunday. Tuesday's strong performance was a nice bounce-back outing for King after he gave up five earned runs on six hits in four innings in his last regular-season start on Sept. 22 at the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Nick Pivetta Set to Start Game 2 of NL Wild-Card Series Against Cubs
San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta will get the ball for Game 2 of his team's National League Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Pivetta missed most of the 2026 regular season due to elbow issues. However, the 33-year-old was effective when healthy, recording a 3-2 record with a 2.86 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts across 34 2/3 innings (eight starts). Pivetta averaged 94.0 miles per hour on his fastball and logged a 26.9% strikeout rate. The veteran has also had success as a playoff pitcher in his career, recording a 2.89 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across 18 2/3 innings (four games). San Diego will start right-hander Michael King against Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on Tuesday night.
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Joe Musgrove on the Padres' Wild-Card Roster
The San Diego Padres activated right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday, and he will be included on the roster for the Wild-Card Series this week at Petco Park against the Chicago Cubs, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic. It is a bit of a surprise, since Musgrove did not pitch for the Friars at all in 2026, and he made only 19 starts in 2024 before eventually undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Musgrove was expected to be ready for the start of this season, but he suffered a setback in spring training and then was not recovering the way he would have liked once he started a minor-league rehab assignment. Because of the long layoff and the fact that he has not pitched in the majors at all this year, if Musgrove gets into a game during the Wild-Card Series, it will almost certainly be in more of a low-leverage bullpen role. The 33-year-old veteran was an All-Star in 2022 with the Padres, posting a career-best 2.93 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 30 starts. Musgrove went 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA (3.96 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 101 strikeouts and 23 walks in his 19 starts in 2024 before being shut down.
Source: The Athletic - Dennis Lin
Source: The Athletic - Dennis Lin
Jackson Merrill's Resurgent Second Half Has Continued Through September
Across 653 plate appearances in 2026, San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill is hitting .252/.300/.459 with 26 home runs, 86 RBI, 82 runs scored, and 26 stolen bases. The 23-year-old got off to a rough start to the year, hitting .219 with 10 home runs across 396 plate appearances before the All-Star break. However, Merrill has been red hot in the second half, hitting .300 with 16 homers across his last 261 trips to the plate. Merrill has been particularly key to San Diego's late-season surge as an offense, hitting .325 with four home runs, 16 RBI, 10 runs scored, and two stolen bases over his first 85 plate appearances in September. The star center fielder has lowered his strikeout rate this month to 18.8% while also posting elite barrel (19.7%) and hard-hit (62.1%) rates. Heading into San Diego's final weekend of the regular season, Merrill profiles as one of the top five-category producers in all of fantasy baseball.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Fernando Tatis Jr. Riding Extended Hot Streak to Begin September
Across 659 plate appearances in 2026, San Diego Padres outfielder/second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .288/.356/.465 with 23 home runs, 78 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases. The 27-year-old struggled through an extended power outage at the start of the year, hitting just one home run in 245 plate appearances through the end of May. However, Tatis Jr. has been scorching hot in the second half of the season, slashing .307/.383/.623 with 18 homers across 243 plate appearances since the All-Star break. He's been particularly molten in September, hitting .358 with six home runs and four stolen bases over his first 59 trips to the plate this month. Now that Tatis Jr.'s early-season struggles are fully behind him, he profiles as a five-category superstar for fantasy managers in the final weeks of 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ethan Salas Worth Targeting on the Waiver Wire Despite Slow Start?
San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas has gotten off to a slow start in the big leagues since making his MLB debut on September 2, as he's gone hitless in his first 10 plate appearances. Salas has also split playing time in the early going with fellow Padres catchers Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin. However, the 20-year-old Salas is widely considered to be one of the top catcher prospects in all of baseball, so it could just be a matter of time before he takes over as the full-time backstop in San Diego. Across 405 plate appearances split between Double-A and Triple-A before his promotion, Salas hit .296/.374/.448 with 10 home runs, 61 RBI, 54 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases. Salas may struggle to get to significant power in his first taste of big-league action, but he's posted an impressive 11.6% walk rate while striking out in just 14.3% of his trips to the plate in the minors. In two-catcher formats, Salas could be worth targeting on the waiver wire just in case he takes over as the everyday catcher for the Padres down the stretch.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nick Pivetta to Start on Monday Against Nationals
San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (forearm) will come off the 60-day injured list to start Monday's series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals at Petco Park, manager Craig Stammen told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. It will be Pivetta's first major-league outing since April 12. The 33-year-old veteran has been cleared to return to San Diego's starting rotation for the stretch run after throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in a minor-league rehab start on Aug. 30 with Triple-A El Paso. He was able to throw 64 pitches in that outing, and while Pivetta will be a part of the Friars' rotation as they seek a playoff spot in the National League, he will most likely be on a short leash in his return on Monday and therefore will not be a recommended streaming option for fantasy managers. Pivetta is currently rostered in 75% of Yahoo leagues despite having made only four starts in 2026. In those four starts, the Canadian hurler went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. The 10-year MLB veteran had a career year in 2025 in his first year in SD, going 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA (3.49 FIP) and 0.98 WHIP with a career-high 190 strikeouts and 50 walks in 181 2/3 innings across his 31 regular-season starts.
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Padres Calling Up Catching Prospect Ethan Salas After Strong Triple-A Run
The San Diego Padres are set to call up top catching prospect Ethan Salas from Triple-A El Paso when rosters expand on Tuesday, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound 20-year-old backstop is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Padres' top prospect and the No. 23 overall prospect in all of baseball. At the catching position, he is ranked as the No. 4 prospect, behind Rainiel Rodriguez (Cardinals), Vahn Lackey (Twins), and Alfredo Duno (Reds). Salas, who hits from the left side, has turned heads in 24 games with El Paso in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, slashing .326/.410/.539 with a .949 OPS, three homers, 24 RBI, 13 runs scored, and three steals. He began the year at Double-A San Antonio and hit .286 (74-for-259) with seven homers, 37 RBI, 14 steals, and 41 runs scored in 72 games for the Missions. There are still mixed reviews as to how high a ceiling Salas has offensively, and it is unclear how much he will play in San Diego, which already has catchers Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano on the major-league roster. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues should not be expecting fireworks from Salas in September.
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
Ethan Salas Showing Off Hitting Prowess At Triple-A
San Diego Padres catcher prospect Ethan Salas is on fire at Triple-A El Paso with three homers and 23 RBI in 86 at bats while hitting .326. The star left-handed hitter was called up to Triple-A on July 29 after hitting seven homers with 37 RBI at Double-A San Antonio in 259 at bats. Look for the 20-year-old to be a fantasy factor if he is to debut this season in San Diego. He is well worth stashing and waiting for a potential call-up to San Diego this season. Salas is the Padres' top overall prospect and has a 50-grade hit tool with 50-grade power and has the hitting tools to be successful right away in fantasy leagues at the catcher position. Right now the Padres have the catching duo of Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin but if Salas is to break through and get a look this year, he should be an instant fantasy success.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Luis Rengifo Removed with Knee Sprain
San Diego Padres infielder/outfielder Luis Rengifo (knee) was removed early during Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Rengifo was pulled late in the game due to a right knee sprain. He appeared to have suffered the injury while attempting a throw to home plate in the seventh inning. He finished this game 0-for-2 at the plate with a run scored and a walk. He's flying back to San Diego, where he'll undergo further evaluation. Fantasy managers shouldn't be shocked if Rengifo ends up getting placed on the Injured List. If that happens, Gavin Sheets and Austin Hays would be in line for increased playing time.
Source: San Diego Padres
Source: San Diego Padres
