Padres manager Craig Stammen said Will Wagner’s at-bats warranted more opportunity.

That will come at the expense of Bryce Johnson, who has been designated for assignment to make room for Xander Bogaerts’ return from the paternity list.

The switch-hitting Johnson hit .342/.383/.434 over 84 plate appearances last year as a fourth outfielder, but he was hitting .178/.229/.222 over 49 plate appearances this year and became expendable after the Padres called up outfielders Samad Taylor and Jace Bowen last week.

The left-handed-hitting Wagner was 3-for-4 with a double and two walks while starting Tuesday and Wednesday as the designated hitter. He figures to see most of his time at second base, which will allow the Padres to return to starting Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field, where he has won two Platinum Gloves.

Sung-Mun Song had started the last two games at shortstop and should continue to see action in late innings on defense, but he’s hitting .200/.304/.225 in 46 plate appearances since joining the roster following Jake Cronenworth’s concussion.

Those at-bats could go to the 27-year-old Wagner, whom the Padres acquired last July from the Blue Jays for switch-hitting catching prospect Brandon Valenzuela.

Wagner is a .265/.342/.358 hitter with two homers in 241 plate appearances across parts of three seasons in the majors.

“(He) reminds me of Jake Cronenworth,” Stammen said Wednesday. “Those at-bats that we missed from Jake, you know, just the professional, consistent at-bat. He looks very similar in the box, and I think when we traded for him last year, we felt like that’s the type of at-bat we were going to get, is somebody who could control the zone and handle some right-handed pitching for us. So he’s definitely, in two days, has impressed us greatly. Not that we didn’t know this before, he just didn’t have as much of an opportunity, but he’s going to get some more opportunities going forward.”

The Padres will have seven days to trade, waive, release or outright Johnson to the minors.

This story will be updated after lineups are posted.

 

Friday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Griffin Canning (0-4, 6.34 ERA)

He’d allowed an 8.34 ERA over five starts before limiting the Mets to a run on three hits and two walks in five innings on Saturday in a no-decision. His six strikeouts in that game were one shy of a season high. Canning has allowed nine runs in 6⅔ innings in his two road starts so far. He has a 9.49 in 24⅔ career innings against the Orioles, including two starts in 2024 (10 IP, 8 ER).

Here is how Canning has fared against current Orioles:

Orioles RHP Shane Baz (3-6, 4.09 ERA)

He’s allowed two earned runs or fewer over his last four starts (1.75 ERA), although four unearned runs scored in his last start, a loss. Baz has won both of his career starts against the Padres, the last in 2025, when he struck out six over seven shutout innings for the Rays.

Here is how Baz has fared against current Padres: