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Jackson Merrill Snaps Slump With Two Homers, Four RBI Against KC
San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill helped the Padres avoid a three-game sweep in Kansas City on Sunday against the Royals with a monster performance in the team's 19-2 rout at Kauffman Stadium. Kelly went 4-for-6 at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, a stolen base, and a strikeout to boost his season batting average to .221 and his OPS to .640. It was the 23-year-old's first four-hit game and two-homer outing of the year, which was a nice way for him to snap an 0-for-13 slump offensively. With the stolen base, Merrill also reached the 20-steal mark for the first time in his career. Merrill has mostly been a speed asset in fantasy in what has otherwise been a disappointing third year in the majors. After the strong performance on Sunday against the Royals, Merrill is now slashing .221/.277/.363 with 12 home runs, 42 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases across his 407 plate appearances. The Padres and fantasy managers are really hoping that his Sunday outburst will get him rolling for the rest of the second half of the season.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Randy Vasquez Activated From the Injured List
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Randy Vasquez (ankle) was activated off the 15-day Injured List on Sunday. Vasquez is back after landing on the IL on July 3 due to a right ankle bruise. The expectation is that Vasquez will start either Monday or Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves. This season, Vasquez owns a 4.71 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and a 60/27 K/BB ratio across 17 games (16 starts). In a corresponding move, right-hander Jhony Brito was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. Before landing on the shelf, Vasquez allowed 14 earned runs over his last three outings. There is some deep league value for fantasy managers seeking pitching help, but Vasquez isn't a must-have player.
Source: San Diego Padres
Source: San Diego Padres
Mason Miller Could Become Yankees Top Trade Target
San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller would jump to the front of the New York Yankees' trade-deadline plans if he becomes available, according to The Daily News. New York has spent weeks looking for a right-handed-hitting catcher, but Miller is a different kind of target. He would help now and give the Yankees a long-term answer in the ninth inning, even if Aaron Judge's absence has them questioning how far this season can go. George Lombard Jr. is reportedly off limits, though the Yankees still have enough prospect depth to put together a serious offer. Miller has been almost untouchable, posting a 0.89 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 75 strikeouts, and 25 saves in 40 2/3 innings. He is under team control through 2029. A move to New York would put Miller in the ninth inning and push David Bednar into a setup role.
Source: The Daily News
Source: The Daily News
Padres Want to Move Off Xander Bogaerts' Contract
San Diego Padres infielder Xander Bogaerts has not lived up to his contract during his time with the organization. The Padres have Bogaerts locked up through 2033, but would reportedly like to get out of the contract. The speculation is that the Padres would attach Bogaerts in a potential Mason Miller trade at the deadline. It would be a shame to lose Miller, but Padres' fans would rejoice at being out of the $25 million per season owed to Bogaerts through 2033. This season, Bogaerts is slashing .224/.317/.331 with nine home runs, 37 RBI, and 12 steals in 91 games. The 33-year-old has almost no value by himself, so the Padres would likely have to package him with a superstar just to get out of the deal.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
Jake Cronenworth Is a Deep-League Buy After Concussion Return
San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth went into the break at .196/.286/.280 with three home runs, 17 runs, 12 RBI, and three steals in 45 games. Awful on its face. He also spent nearly two months on the concussion injured list after a 97 mph fastball hit him in the chin April 18. Cronenworth later described vision problems that made it difficult to track pitches, and he went 4-for-31 before San Diego finally shut him down. The return has been encouraging, not conclusive. Cronenworth hit .333/.349/.500 with two homers, eight RBI, and two steals in 43 July plate appearances before the break. His season-long contact quality still points to a limited ceiling, including an 87.6 mph average exit velocity, 32.4% hard-hit rate, and .345 expected slugging percentage. San Diego expects him to start against right-handers, with lefties potentially trimming the role. That is enough for a deeper-league buy, not a standard-league priority.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ethan Salas Reclaiming Dynasty Value in Bounce-Back Season
San Diego Padres catching prospect Ethan Salas saw his value take a hit during the 2025 season when he appeared in only 10 games due to injury. However, Salas had spent the entire 2026 season at Double-A and had rebounded quite nicely. Across 63 contests with San Antonio this season, the backstop has posted a strong .284/.353/.422 slash line with a .775 OPS. During this campaign, the catcher has gone deep seven times and has even chipped in 14 stolen bases. In his last full season (2024), Salas posted a .206/.288/.311 line with only four home runs and a mere 10 stolen bases. Seeing him not only rebound from his injury but produce career-best marks against tougher pitching is an excellent sign. The team's top-ranked prospect could earn a late-season call to Triple-A if he maintains this trajectory.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Ramon Laureano Is a Clear Drop After Season-Ending Hip Surgery
San Diego Padres left fielder Ramon Laureano (right hip) is not worth carrying into the second half. He underwent surgery June 5 to repair a torn labrum and now sits on the 60-day injured list. MLB lists October as the optimistic return window, with 2027 more likely. That makes the roster call easy in redraft leagues. Laureano had already slipped to .203/.286/.374 with seven homers, 23 runs, 21 RBI, and seven steals in 53 games before the procedure. The hip may help explain the collapse after he finished April at .252, but it does nothing for fantasy managers now. San Diego initially called up Jase Bowen, while Gavin Sheets started in left field throughout the final four games before the break. Keeper and dynasty managers can hold at minimal cost. Everyone else should cut him.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jackson Merrill a Prime Buy-Low Candidate with Five-Category Upside
After an injury-marred 2025 campaign, San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill entered 2026 in search of a bounce-back season. That hasn't fully come to fruition yet, as he's hitting .219/.278/.350 with 10 home runs, 38 RBI, 43 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases across 392 plate appearances on the year. After posting a 17% strikeout rate in his emergent 2024 rookie season, Merrill's strikeout rate is up to 25% in 2026. However, there's still reason to believe that the 23-year-old's batting average should improve in the second half of the season. His 44.9% hard-hit rate is a career-best, and Merrill's .274 batting average on balls in play is well below his career mark of .305. Even amidst his first-half struggles, Merrill still provided fantasy managers with solid counting stats and above-average speed. He profiles as a prime buy-low candidate coming out of the All-Star break.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Should Fantasy Managers Sell High on Mason Miller?
San Diego Padres right-handed closer Mason Miller has been as dominant as any reliever we've ever seen in the first half of 2026, which begs the question: Should fantasy managers be selling high? In his 38 appearances (39 2/3 innings) in the first half of his first full season with the Friars, Miller has gone 2-1 with a 0.91 ERA (0.53 FIP), 0.78 WHIP, a National League-leading 25 saves, 72 strikeouts, and 13 walks. The flamethrowing closer is tied with Rays closer Bryan Baker for second in the big leagues in saves, just three behind the leader, Guardians closer Cade Smith. The two-time All-Star has a ridiculous 48.3% strikeout rate and just a 22.2% hard-hit rate. Most of the time when he enters a game, he makes the opposing lineup look silly with his triple-digit fastball and video-game slider. Miller ranks in the 100th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 100th percentile in strikeout rate, the 100th percentile in whiff rate, the 96th percentile in chase rate, and the 97th percentile in barrel rate, so the advanced metrics support his otherworldly dominance. The Padres most likely won't give in and trade Miller at this year's deadline, and fantasy managers should follow suit and hold him.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Padres Go With Prep Two-Way Player Coleman Borthwick With 21st Overall Pick
The San Diego Padres selected South Walton High School (Florida) right-handed pitcher Coleman Borthwick with the 21st overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft on Saturday, according to MLB.com. Borthwick, who came into this year's draft as the 43rd-ranked prospect by MLB.com, is the first high-school right-hander taken in the first round. The 18-year-old has the size at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds and the athleticism -- he was a two-way player in high school. Borthwick is expected to be a pitcher moving forward, though, and he features a fastball that can reach the upper-90s and a plus slider. His slider can miss a ton of bats, and if he can stay healthy, Borthwick has the makings of a future workhorse starter at the top of San Diego's starting rotation. He's committed to play at Auburn, where he could continue his dream of being a two-way player as a pitcher and power-hitting corner infielder. Borthwick is young and raw, but the tools are clearly there for him to be a high-upside arm in the Padres' system if he chooses not to go to college.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Manny Machado Back in Lineup Following Foot Injury
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado is back at the hot corner and is batting cleanup for the Friars in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander Merrill Kelly, per MLB.com. Machado didn't play in Wednesday night's 10-4 victory over the Snakes as a precaution after fouling a ball off his foot in Tuesday's win, but he'll be right back in there after just one day off. The 34-year-old seven-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger winner has 18 home runs in his 15th year in the big leagues, but he's also hitting a career-low .188 (61-for-324) with a career-high 22.7% strikeout rate in 374 plate appearances in 2026. Machado has picked things up a bit of late, though, going 15-for-59 (.254) with six home runs, five doubles, 15 RBI, 11 runs scored, and a stolen base in his last 17 games, dating back to June 20. He has plenty of experience against Kelly, but he's hit just .159 against him with a .458 OPS, one homer, and four RBI in 44 career at-bats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Should Fantasy Managers Look to Sell High on Michael King?
Across 108 1/3 innings (19 starts) in 2026, San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King has recorded a 6-7 record with a 3.41 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 92 strikeouts. On the surface, King's numbers appear to be right in line with the quality level that he has established in recent seasons. However, the veteran right-hander's strikeout rate continues to decline. After posting a 27.7% strikeout rate in his first year with the Padres in 2024, King's strikeout rate fell to 24.7% in 2025 and is now down to 20.8% in 2026. King's 11.1% K-BB rate is below-average, and both his xERA (4.55) and FIP (4.03) suggest that he's currently outpitching his peripherals. The 31-year-old has also dealt with myriad injury issues in his career and has reached his current innings workload in just one other season. Between his declining strikeout rate and his shaky health track record, King might be a sell-high candidate for fantasy managers ahead of the All-Star break.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nick Pivetta Throws Bullpen on Tuesday
San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (forearm) threw a bullpen and did some fielding practice on Tuesday at Petco Park, according to Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Pivetta is slowly making progress after landing on the injured list in mid-April with a flexor strain in his right forearm. He was eventually moved to the 60-day IL, and barring a setback as he continues to ramp up his arm, a best-case scenario is probably for Pivetta to return to San Diego's starting rotation at some point in August. The 33-year-old Canadian was the Friars' best starting pitcher in 2025 in his first year with the club, 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 31 starts. He went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA (1.24 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with a 24:6 K:BB in 16 innings over four starts in 2026 before injuring his forearm. The expectation is that Pivetta will return in the second half, which has made him stash-worthy in the majority of fantasy leagues. Pivetta is currently rostered in 72% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Annie Heilbrunn
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Annie Heilbrunn
Jason Adam Expected to be Out Until August
An MRI exam on San Diego Padres right-handed reliever Jason Adam's right shoulder showed no major structural damage, instead just a strain in the subscapularis muscle, according to MLB.com. Adam expressed hope that he can return from the 15-day injured list in early-to-mid August after landing on the IL on July 2. The 34-year-old veteran suffered a season-ending thigh injury late in the second half last season and hasn't been quite the same for the Friars as a high-end setup guy in 2026, going 2-2 with a 2.51 ERA (4.69 FIP), 1.17 WHIP, two saves, 22 strikeouts, and eight walks in 32 1/3 innings out of the bullpen in his second full season in San Diego. In fantasy baseball leagues that count holds, though, Adam is deserving of a roster spot, as he currently ranks seventh in baseball with 17 holds. Until he's able to make his way back to the Padres' bullpen in August, both lefty Adrian Morejon and righty Bradgley Rodriguez will be tasked with more high-leverage setup spots late in games in front of flamethrowing closer Mason Miller.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Randy Vasquez Goes on Injured List With Ankle Bruise
San Diego Padres right-hander Randy Vasquez (ankle) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a bruised right ankle, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Right-handed reliever Alek Jacob was recalled from Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move. Vasquez took a line drive off his right ankle in the first inning of his start on Thursday night against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and was pulled after just three innings. He then fainted on his way to get X-rays and was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Even though X-rays came back negative and he was released from the hospital on Friday, he will miss the next two weeks and won't be a candidate to rejoin San Diego's starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. The 27-year-old allowed four earned runs in just three innings on Thursday night and has surrendered 24 runs (20 earned) on 37 hits (five homers) while walking nine and striking out 10 in 18 2/3 innings in his last five starts. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues shouldn't be holding Vasquez while he recovers.
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
