The Padres have been carrying three catchers for nearly two weeks. On Friday, they’ll finally start two of them in the same lineup as Luis Campusano will get his first start of the season as a designated hitter.

“Yeah, it just adds an element,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said before Friday’s 6:45 p.m. first pitch on Apple TV. … “He’s a bat that can do damage at any point, and he’s been taking great at-bats. He’s been working some walks. He’s been great with two-out, two-strike hitting. We trust him with the bat and wanted to get that extra bat in the lineup against the lefty today.”

Friday night baseball.

📺: https://t.co/WtqPJHNDQY pic.twitter.com/vFmQhz7hhc

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 31, 2026

Campusano’s .896 OPS is tops on the team among those with at least 100 plate appearances. He’s hitting .287/.396/.500 with four homers on the season and .286/.434/.381 with one homer in 53 plate appearances since missing two months with a broken toe/oblique injury.

The right-handed-hitting Campusano is hitting .235/.350/.294 in 20 plate appearances against left-handers this year.

Campusano will bat sixth, while Freddy Fermin (.537 OPS) will bat eighth and serve as the catcher over Rodolfo Durán.

Jase Bowen (.365 OPS) will play left field and bat ninth in his second straight game in the lineup.

Friday’s loss dropped the Padres (55-54) two games behind the Diamondbacks (57-52) and Phillies (57-52) in the race for the NL’s third wild-card spot.

They are also a half-game ahead of the Marlins (55-55), Pirates (55-55) and Nationals (55-55).

Here is how the Giants (47-62) will line up for Game 2 of the series:

Closing out July with Friday Night Baseball

⌚️: 6:45 p.m. PT
📍: San Diego, CA
📺: @AppleTV
📻: @KNBR | KSFN#SFGiants | @CocaCola pic.twitter.com/aXVE1OsoPf

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 31, 2026

 

Friday’s pitching matchup

Giants LHP Carson Whisenhunt (2-1, 4.60 ERA)

The second-year starter made five starts last year (5.01 ERA) and is making his fourth start this season. He’s gone at least five innings in all three starts so far this year. This is Whisenhunt’s first career appearance against the Padres.

No current Padres have history against the 25-year-old Whisenhunt.

Padres RHP Bradgley Rodriguez (2-2, 2.33 ERA)

He’s struck out 47 against 16 walks over 46⅓ innings to start his second big-league season. This will be his fourth appearance as an opener (3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BBs, 2 Ks). RHP Germán Márquez (4-2, 5.17 ERA) is in line for bulk duty. Márquez has a 4.15 ERA in five appearances (17⅓ IP) since returning from the injured list. He allowed four runs in three innings against the Giants in late March.

Here is how Márquez has fared against current Giants: