Having lost two series to start the first road trip of the second half, the Padres limp into Miami with postseason odds sitting at 7.5%.

Friday’s first pitch is at 4:10 p.m. on Padres.TV.

New series in Miami 🌴 pic.twitter.com/Q2zzxg0VYo

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 24, 2026

Manny Machado (.724 OPS) will serve as the DH for the 10th time this season and the first time since DHing back-to-back days heading into the All-Star break.

That will allow Sung-Mun Song (.622 OPS) to get just his second start of the second half. Song spelled Xander Bogaerts at shortstop for a game in Atlanta.

Song will bat ninth behind Bogaerts (.638 OPS), who is in the eight hole for just the second time since 2015.

Gavin Sheets (.726 OPS) will bat seventh and play left field. Catcher Luis Campusano (.915 OPS) is in the sixth-hole, behind center fielder Jackson Merrill (.656 OPS).

Second baseman Jake Cronenworth (.587 OPS) will bat second for the second time in four games. Before that, hadn’t been in the two-hole since June 2.

The two-hole has been a problem all year for the Padres as their collective OPS (.653) ranks 28th in the majors, ahead of only the Cubs (.647) and Dodgers (.644).

Cronenworth’s .804 OPS in 24 plate appearances is second best on the team, behind Luis Rengifo’s .900 OPS across two games.

The injured Samad Taylor (.799 OPS) is third-best so far in the two-hole, followed by Sheets (.708), Merrill (.653), the injured Miguel Andujar (.651), the injured Ramon Laureano (.650), Tatis (.625), Bogaerts (.408) and Machado (.111).

Here is how the Marlins will line up to start the three-game series:

Fish 🔙 home

🤝: @PNCBank
📺: https://t.co/pMAEOPHNJ8
👂: @MarlinsRadio, @radiomambi710, @1043wqam
⏰: 7:10 PM ET
🏟️: Roof status: CLOSED#FightinFish // https://t.co/ZrOdIbYDTI pic.twitter.com/iGcjWTPz6S

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 24, 2026

 

Friday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Germán Márquez (4-2, 5.24 ERA)

He’s got a 4.20 ERA in four appearances since returning from the injured list and has topped out at five innings and 85 pitches. Márquez has a 5.09 ERA in eight career starts against the Marlins, including three earned runs in five innings in a win last year.

Here is how Márquez has fared against current Marlins:

Marlins RHP Ryan Gusto (0-2, 4.70 ERA)

The 27-year-old had allowed one earned run over his last 6⅓ innings across three bullpen appearances since his last start (3 IP, 3 ER on July 2). The second-year pitcher has a 5.06 ERA across six starts (21⅓ IP) and a 3.86 ERA in 9⅓ innings out of the bullpen this year. He has topped out at 4 2/3 innings and 91 pitches in his major league workload this year. This is Gusto’s first appearance against the Padres.

Here is how Gusto has fared against current Padres: