With three catchers on the active roster, Luis Campusano continues to see time at designated hitter to keep his bat in the lineup.

The 27-year-old Campusano will start a second straight game at DH on Tuesday (6:40 p.m. on Padres.TV) and for the fourth time in the last six games, all since rookie Ethan Salas joined the roster.

Salas, however, is on the bench as Freddy Fermin is behind the plate.

Game 2. pic.twitter.com/dEHdY53jrK

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 8, 2026

Campusano is hitting .200/.304/.200 in eight games so far this year as the DH. He has cooled in the second half—a .773 OPS is down from .966 before the All-Star break—but he’s hit two of his seven home runs in September (.856 OPS).

Campusano (.853 OPS) will bat sixth on Tuesday and Fermin (.563 OPS) will bat ninth.

With a right-hander on the mound, Dustin Harris (.689 OPS) gets the start in left field and in the seven-hole.

The Padres begin Tuesday a half-game behind the Diamondbacks in the race for the NL’s final wild-card spot.

Here is how the Nationals will line up for Game 2:

that’s back-to-back lineups to start the week

→ https://t.co/HyMhWpLQbB pic.twitter.com/YLzPU8YuZn

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 8, 2026

 

Notable

RHP Jason Adam (shoulder) threw a bullpen off the Petco Park mound on Monday. The next step is a live batting practice on Thursday in Arizona and then potentially a rehab game. How soon he returns depends on how he comes out of the next two steps. Meantime, RHP Jeremiah Estrada (shoulder) has not progressed to throwing yet while at the team’s complex in Arizona.
OF Ramón Laureano (hip surgery) is also rehabbing at the team’s complex in Arizona and has progressed to running the pool and hitting off a tee/hitting flips. “He’s done some baseball activities,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said, “but not close to playing.”

 

Tuesday’s pitching matchup

Nationals RHP Riley Cornelio (2-2, 5.96 ERA)

Manager Blake Butera said will start Cornelio in a bullpen game. Cornelio allowed three runs in 2⅔ innings in his last appearance on Sept. 2. RHP Matt Waldron, who has thrown 5⅔ shutout innings across three appearances since joining the Nationals, will not pitch as he hit the injured list with chest inflammation.

Cornelio does not have any history with current Padres.

Padres RHP Casey Mize (5-9, 3.64 ERA)

He’s 1-3 with a 6.67 ERA, 15 strikeouts and nine walks through his first six starts (27 IP) since the trade to San Diego. That includes a 7.71 ERA in three starts (11⅔ IP) since he sprained an ankle slipping down the dugout stairs at Petco Park. Mize’s only start against the Nationals was a no-decision in 2024 (6 IP, 1 ER).

Only two Nationals have history with Mize:

SS CJ Abrams (1-for-3)
OF Jacob Young (0-for-2, K)