San Diego Padres at Miami Marlins
Game 1: 4:10 p.m. Friday (Padres.TV)
Game 2: 1:10 p.m. Saturday (Padres.TV, FS1)
Game 3: 10:40 a.m. Sunday (Padres.TV)
In the standings
San Diego Padres (50-53, 3rd in NL West)
The Padres have lost back-to-back series in Kansas City and Atlanta to start this crucial second half. They are 15 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and four games out of a wild-card spot with five teams to overtake to get into playoff position.
Miami Marlins (52-51, 3rd in NL East)
The Marlins are 8½ games behind the Braves in the division and two games out of a wild-card spot, although they’ve lost nine in a row. The Marlins and Padres split six games last year.
Trending
San Diego: 1B Ty France, 3B Manny Machado and OF Jackson Merrill have all hit six homers this month. France leads the team with a .994 OPS in July, followed by OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.891) and Merrill (.842). SS Xander Bogaerts has a .533 OPS in July and Gavin Sheets has a .509 OPS this month.
Miami: OF Heriberto Hernandez has five homers and a .322/.385/.695 batting line for a 1.080 OPS this month. OF Griffin Conine (.875 OPS in July), C Joe Mack (.810 OPS) and OF Kyle Stowers (.684 OPS) all have four homers this month. Former Padres 2B prospect Xavier Edwards has a .569 OPS in July.
Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks, front left, talks with pitcher Eury Pérez, right, on the mound during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Pitching matchups
Friday
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.
Marlins TBA | Manager Clayton McCullough has not named a starter for the series opener.
Saturday
Padres LHP JP Sears (2-3, 4.38 ERA) | The Padres are 2-3 in games started by Sears, who has a 4.30 ERA in three starts away from Petco Park. Sears has yet to complete six innings since joining the Padres rotation or throw more than 95 pitches. He has a 1.42 ERA in two career starts against the Marlins, including two runs in 6⅓ innings in a no-decision last year.
Marlins RHP Eury Perez (5-7, 3.53 ERA) | The 6-foot-8 Dominican is four innings from besting his previous career-high workload (95⅓ innings). Perez, 23, is also five strikeouts away from a new career high in strikeouts (108). Perez has allowed two runs or less in his last seven starts (1.14 ERA).
Sunday
Padres RHP Walker Buehler (6-5, 5.23 ERA) | Allowing two runs in 5⅔ innings in a win was an improvement after posting a 16.36 ERA over his three previous starts (11 IP). Buehler still walked five while scattering two hits. Buehler has a 3.86 ERA in seven career starts against the Marlins, including five shutout innings in a win last year.
Marlins RHP Janson Junk (4-6, 5.09 ERA) | He’s got a 7.92 ERA over his last six starts. He has been better at home (4.36 ERA, 43 ⅓ IP) than on the road so far (6.31 ERA, 25 ⅔ IP), but he’s allowing an .885 OPS against lefties compared to a .579 against righties. Junk will be making his first career appearance against the Padres.
Qualifying leaders
OPS: Padres—OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.759), 1B Gavin Sheets (.726), 3B Manny Machado (.724); Marlins—SS Otto Lopez (.866), C Liam Hicks (.812), 2B Xavier Edwards (.776).
HRs: Padres—Machado (22), 1B Ty France (16), Sheets (14), OF Jackson Merrill (14); Marlins—Hicks (14), OF Heriberto Hernandez (13), OF Owen Caissie (12), OF Kyle Stowers (12).
RBIs: Padres—Machado (59), Tatis (47), Merrill (44); Marlins—Hicks (60), Caissie (50), Lopez (46).
Steals: Padres—Tatis (25), Merrill (20), SS Xander Bogaerts (13); Marlins—OF Esteury Ruiz (22), OF Jakob Marsee (19), Lopez (18).
Saves: Padres—RHP Mason Miller (25-for-25, 0.86 ERA); Marlins—RHP Pete Fairbanks (13-for-16, 7.42 ERA).
Holds: Padres—RHP Jason Adam (17, 2.51 ERA), LHP Adrián Morejón (15, 3.33 ERA), RHP Jeremiah Estrada (6, 3.48 ERA), RHP Bradgley Rodriguez (6, 2.05 ERA); Marlins—RHP Michael Peterson (17, 2.91 ERA), RHP Calvin Faucher (11, 4.89 ERA), RHP Anthony Bender (8, 2.62 ERA), LHP Andrew Nardi (8, 5.16 ERA).
Training room
San Diego: RHP Jeremiah Estrada (knee) is rehabbing at Triple-A El Paso, while RHP David Morgan (knee) is rehabbing in the Arizona Complex League. RHPs Joe Musgrove (elbow) and Nick Pivetta (flexor) were expected to face hitters in Arizona during this road trip. RHP Lucas Giolito (elbow) is also rehabbing in Arizona. OF Samad Taylor (oblique) and INF Miguel Andujar (wrist) should return from the 10-day injured list at some point this season. RHP Jason Adam (shoulder) is also expected back in August.
Miami: OF Owen Caissie, a former Padres draftee traded for Yu Darvish, won’t return from his calf strain until at least next week. The pitching staff is without RHPs Anthony Bender (shin), Max Meyer (neck), Adam Mazur (UCL), Josh Ekness (calf), Ronny Henriquez (elbow) and William Kempner (elbow) and LHPs Robbie Snelling (UCL), John King (ankle) and Andrew Nardi (ribcage).