Freddy Fermin will enjoy a homecoming after all.

The Padres will activate the 31-year-old catcher in time for the weekend’s series at Kansas City, his first games at Kauffman Stadium since he was traded to the Padres at last year’s deadline.

Fermin, however, is not in the lineup as Luis Campusano will start Friday’s game (5:10 p.m. on Padres.TV, CBS/8.1, TV Azteca).

Kansas City for the weekend. pic.twitter.com/b38849xiTx

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 17, 2026

To make room for Fermin, Rodolfo Durán will be optioned to Triple-A El Paso.

Fermin was on the injured list for the second time this season with a head contusion. He missed time earlier this year with a concussion.

Fermin served as the DH over the weekend while on a rehab assignment with El Paso. He was 3-for-12 with two RBIs, a walk and two strikeouts.

Fermin is hitting .152/.252/.268 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 58 games after starting the season as the starter behind the plate. He hit .244/.278/.339 with two homers in 42 games last year after the deadline.

His injuries and a lack of production at the plate, however, has opened the door for Campusano to take the lion’s share of the starts behind the plate moving forward.

Campusano missed roughly two months with a broken toe and an oblique tweak, but he is hitting .300/.395/.571 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 26 games. He was also scratched Sunday with abdominal soreness but is back in the lineup and batting ninth, behind second baseman Jake Cronenworth (.566 OPS) and designated hitter Miguel Andujar (.719 OPS) in the bottom third.

Gavin Sheets (.748 OPS) will bat fifth and play left field and Ty France (.815 OPS) will bat sixth and play first base.

The 28-year-old Durán has three homers in 35 games in this first call-up to the majors, but he’s hitting .146/.222/.305 across 91 plate appearances.

The Padres are 48-48, 3½ games out of a wild-card spot and have four teams to overtake to get back into playoff position.

Hence, long playoff odds as calculated by Baseball Prospectus (15.5%), Fangraphs (12%) and ESPN (9.3%).

The Padres are 19-11 so far in interleague play and 24-27 on the road

Here is how the Royals (38-59), losers of five in a row and owners of the worst winning percentage (.392) in the majors, will line up to start a three-game series:

Second half starts tonight. pic.twitter.com/BmrIWE0gC7

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 17, 2026

 

Friday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Michael King (6-7, 3.41 ERA)

He has quality starts in three of his last four trips to the mound (2.70 ERA). King has a 3.83 ERA in eight road starts this year and a 3.32 ERA in 19 career innings against the Royals. He last faced them in a start in 2024 (7 IP, 1 ER).

Here is how King has fared against current Royals:

Royals RHP Seth Lugo (3-6, 4.56 ERA)

The 36-year-old former Padre has a 3.72 ERA in three seasons since leaving San Diego as a free agent. The Royals have lost three of Lugo’s last four starts (8.38 ERA). He struck out seven over 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Padres last year and has a 2.63 ERA in 27 1/3 career innings against the Padres.

Here is how Lugo has fared against current Padres: