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Just as the San Diego Padres were drawing closer to getting most of their key players back from injuries, their concern shifts to star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. as they prepare to visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday afternoon.
Tatis, who is hitting .345 with a .419 on-base percentage to go with eight home runs, was hit by a pitch on the left forearm in the third inning of the Padres' 9-4 victory over Pittsburgh on Friday.
Tatis later was diagnosed with a left forearm contusion, but the spot where he was hit immediately swelled.
An extended absence for Tatis would be unfortunate for the Padres, who recently saw the returns of Luis Arraez and Jason Heyward to their lineup as well as Brandon Lockridge, who was reinstated from the injured list on Friday. San Diego also is expecting Jackson Merrill to rejoin the team within the next week.
"I feel good," Tatis said after the game. "Just a little bit sore. (I'm) gonna sleep on it, see how it feels (on Saturday), and we'll go from there."
San Diego has regained its rhythm offensively over its past three games, all victories. The Padres put together 14 hits on Friday despite recording only one home run, by Gavin Sheets.
It was enough to back up starter Dylan Cease, who failed to make it past the fifth inning for the fourth time this season.
San Diego right-hander Randy Vasquez (1-3, 4.28 ERA) will oppose Pirates lefty Bailey Falter (1-3, 5.93) to start Saturday's game.
Vasquez did not make it past the fifth inning, either, in his most recent start Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays. He pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on five hits -- including a home run -- to go with two walks and one strikeout in San Diego's 4-2 loss.
Vasquez is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two appearances (one start) against the Pirates.
Falter, who will try to help Pittsburgh avoid a three-game losing streak, is coming off one of his worst starts this season. He allowed a season-high seven runs (five earned) on a season-high eight hits with two walks over 4 1/3 innings on Sunday in a 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"He was inconsistent with his command," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. "It looked like he was really inconsistent and didn't really look that sharp."
Falter has a 7.36 ERA in 3 2/3 career innings against the Padres, which includes three appearances and one start.
Padres manager Mike Shildt, who managed the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018-21, improved to 26-5 in his career at PNC Park with Friday's win.
Oneil Cruz continues to be a bright spot for the Pirates on the basepaths. He stole two bases on Friday, giving him 34 consecutive successful steals.
The Padres optioned outfielder Tirso Ornelas to Triple-A El Paso on Friday.
The Pirates recalled infielder Liover Peguero from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned right-hander Hunter Stratton there on Friday.
More must-reads:
- Phillies pitcher's impressive season continues with complete game against struggling Red Sox
- Aaron Boone passionately defends Yankees regarding media scrutiny
- The 'MLB All-Star Game MVPs' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Report: Two MLB All-Star trade candidates are off the market
The number of available MLB stars on the trade market appears to be dwindling. Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy will not be available for trade ahead of the July 31 deadline, Buster Olney of ESPN reported on Tuesday. Additionally, Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan is unlikely to be moved as well, Olney added. The 30-year-old Murphy, an All-Star in 2023, is batting .240 with 16 home runs and 38 RBI this season for the Braves. Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Kwan is batting .288 with six home runs, 32 RBI and 11 stolen bases for the Guardians — numbers that were good enough for Kwan to make his second career All-Star appearance this year. A common thread for both players is that their respective teams have underperformed in 2025. The Braves are a miserable 44-55, and the Guardians are only slightly better at 49-50. Those underachieving records have given rise to trade speculation surrounding both teams. However, both Murphy and Kwan are under contract for multiple more years at very reasonable salaries. Murphy is set to make $15 million in each of the next three seasons (with the Braves holding a $15 million team option on him in 2029 as well). As for Kwan, he still has two more years left of arbitration eligibility before potentially becoming a free agent after the 2027 season. There could still be a lot of movement ahead of this year’s trade deadline, particularly with some marquee teams looking to buy. But those teams will probably be out of luck if they are eyeing a potential move for Murphy or Kwan before July 31.
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Cowboys DE fighting for a roster spot seemingly pulled from opening practice after making a mistake that sounds just like him
Defensive end is going to be one of the most exciting battles to watch throughout Dallas Cowboys training camp. One of the biggest reasons why is Sam Williams, who is somewhat of an X-factor ahead of the 2025 NFL season. During limited playing time early in his career, Williams displayed dominant play. However, off-the-field trouble and most recently, a season-ending injury in 2024, has kept him from making that next leap. Now, it's unclear where he stands in the Cowboys' depth chart. He's a candidate to start while also being far from a roster lock and he'll have to fight for his spot on the team. To do that, staying on the field will be ideal. That didn't happen on the first practice of camp. According to ESPN's Todd Archer, "it appeared Brian Schottenheimer removed Sam Williams from team drills after he hit RB Phil Mafah hard and blew up TE Tyler Neville on a block in back to back plays." Obviously, it's good to see Williams being physical, which is exactly what head coach Brian Schottenheimer preached ahead of the team's practice, but you want players to be smart about it. Even more so Williams specifically, who has had issues with costly penalties in the past. In 2022, he was called for three unnecessary roughness fouls and in 2023, he was called for four personal fouls. This isn't a big deal, of course, and Schottenheimer might also have been thinking about potential fines for the team with that kind of physicality in a non-padded practice. Deep down, however, I wouldn't be surprised if he loved to see it. As for Williams, I can't blame him for getting excited at the prospect of live contact drills after being away from the football field for so long. He's going to be fun to watch throughout camp. But he also needs to be smart to stay on the field.
Pete Carroll Drops Key Updates on Raiders Stars Malcolm Koonce and Christian Wilkins
With training camp in full swing at Las Vegas Raiders HQ in Henderson, head coach Pete Carroll provided an important update regarding two of his key defensive linemen. As things heat up out in Sin City, the Silver and Black engine is revving up under a new regime spearheaded by Carroll’s arrival. As most fans are aware, Carroll brings with him a bevy of defensive knowledge—there’s a reason his Seattle Seahawks dominated the NFC West for years. It starts in the trenches and for the Raiders, there’ll be no exception. It’s for that exact reason that getting all of the defensive linemen healthy will be pivotal for the team’s success. We all know about what Maxx Crosby will bring this season but it’s his supporting cast that was questionable coming into training camp. Luckily, there is some good news and some not-so-good. Malcolm Koonce is back for the Raiders—but what about Christian Wilkins? Fans and teammates alike were surely disappointed when the news surrounding Koonce’s injury last year derailed what should’ve been a promising campaign. After recording eight sacks in 2023, Koonce was projected to be the next double-digit sack artist for Las Vegas. Regrettably, that was postponed a year. Now, under Carroll’s guidance, Koonce appears to be ready to pick up where he left off. “He should be ready to go. We’re going to look after him, make sure that we do it right and break him in, but he’s ready to go,” said Carroll, addressing the media on Tuesday. While that’s good news, the developments surrounding Wilkins aren’t exactly encouraging; however, it’s not the end of the world. After placing their prized defensive tackle on the PUP list, Carroll was dubious about any sort of return. “It’s still uncertain. We sort of have to wait it out,” Carroll stated. While we can’t have everything, the return of Koonce in excellent health alongside Crosby is certainly something to celebrate.
Marcus Smart signing could spell disaster for LeBron James, Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers brought in some toughness and defensive versatility with the addition of Marcus Smart. However, they're now going to have to play financial Jenga. As reported by Bryan Toporek of Silver Screen and Roll, they won't have a lot of money to make any more moves. "After waiving (Shake) Milton and (Jordan) Goodwin and signing Smart, the Lakers now sit $1.1 million below the first apron. Since they’re hard-capped, they cannot cross the first apron under any circumstance between now and June 30, 2026," Toporek wrote. As a result, the Lakers' best hope for help will come once the buyout market starts to take shape. "Since they’re only $1.1 million under the first apron, they currently don’t have enough room below the hard cap to sign anyone to even a veteran-minimum contract. They’d have to shed salary in a trade before they can make another free-agent signing," he added. That's not necessarily what LeBron James might want to hear. His agent, Rich Paul, claimed that he wanted to pursue another championship and that they would assess the team's roster to determine his future. This team got marginally better, but it still needs to add a defensive-minded big man, since JJ Redick didn't seem to trust Jaxson Hayes in the playoffs last season. The Western Conference is as stacked as it's ever been, and it will take more than what the Lakers have to keep up with other powerhouses. So, unless Rob Pelinka works his magic with another shocking trade, James will have to weigh all of his options.
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