The Padres (50-52) are again in salvage mode, this time against one of the best left-handers in the game in Thursday’s 9:15 a.m. start (Padres.TV).
They’ve already lost two of three in Kansas City and two of three to start this four-game series against the Braves to start a crucial road trip ahead of the trade deadline.
Wednesday’s loss shaved their playoff odds down to 9.2% at Fangraphs.com. They are three games out of a wild-card spot with five teams ahead of them and will have to get the best of Chris Sale to split this four-game set.
The Padres are countering with an opener (left-hander Kyle Hart) in front of right-hander Griffin Canning.
Luis Rengifo (.578 OPS) homered in the ninth inning on Wednesday, his first in his brief time as a Padre, and will get a second straight start in the two-hole, this time in left field. It will be Rengifo’s sixth start in the majors in left field and his first since 2023.
Closing out the series. pic.twitter.com/KNXKjwoxqK
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 23, 2026
A day after sitting against left-hander Martin Perez, Gavin Sheets (.729 OPS) is back in the lineup in the sixth-hole and as the designated hitter. Sheets homered off Sale last year.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts (.644 OPS) will bat fifth after spending the last two days in the eight-hole, Freddy Fermin (.529 OPS) will catch and bat seventh, followed by center fielder Jase Bowen (.376 OPS) and second baseman Jake Cronenworth (.581 OPS).
Here is how the Braves (59-42) will line up for the series finale:
Getaway day ✈️#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/xKDeMJBugn
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 23, 2026
Thursday’s pitching matchup
Padres LHP Kyle Hart (0-2, 5.66 ERA)
He’s opening in front of RHP Griffin Canning (1-8, 6.67 ERA). Hart allowed a run in two innings in his only other start this year. He’s also curiously allowing a .587 OPS to righties and an .839 OPS to lefties. Meantime, Canning is allowing hitters a .281/.371/.443 batting line after allowing a .240/.321/.363 batting line last year with the Mets in an injury-shortened season. Canning hasn’t completed five innings in any of his last six appearances (5.82 ERA). The Padres are 4-10 in Canning’s appearances, which includes an extra-innings win in a game in which he allowed the Braves four runs in two-thirds of an inning behind an opener last month in San Diego.
Here is how Canning has fared against current Braves:
Braves LHP Chris Sale (10-6, 2.06 ERA)
The 10-time All-Star has a 1.35 ERA over his last five starts. Sale has a 1.80 ERA in six career starts against the Padres, including two no-decisions last year (12 IP, 4 ER).
Here is how Sale has fared against current Padres:
