Jake Cronenworth is mired in a 4-for-48 slump (.083\/.170\/.188), but the Padres remained committed to him and his on-base skills as a No. 2 hitter against right-handed starters.<\/p>\n
In the wake of Luis Rengifo\u2019s season-ending knee injury, the search for an option against left-handers is taking new turn on Saturday:<\/p>\n
Newcomer Dustin Harris, a left-handed-hitter, will bat second against Giants left-hander Cesar Perdomo.<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s first pitch is at 1:05 p.m. on Padres.TV.<\/p>\n
King on the mound. pic.twitter.com\/6Ip4RvlWxi<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Harris is hitting .355\/.394\/.452 in 13 games since his call-up on Aug. 24. That includes some success in limited exposure to left-handers (.300\/.417\/.300 across 13 plate appearances), but Harris more than held his own in the minors against southpaws this year, posting a .349\/.438\/.381 batting line across 74 plate appearances.<\/p>\n Harris was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and a walk on Friday.<\/p>\n With Ty France on paternity leave, Cronenworth (.583 OPS) will again play first base, Fernando Tatis Jr. (.802 OPS) will play second base and Harris will get the start in right.<\/p>\n Austin Hays (.601 OPS) will serve as the DH and Samad Taylor (.775 OPS) will play left field and bat ninth.<\/p>\n Luis Campusano (.853 OPS) will catch and man the clean-up spot for a second straight day in place of France.<\/p>\n The Padres have three left-handed-hitters in Saturday\u2019s lineup: Harris in the two-hole, center fielder Jackson Merrill (.732 OPS) in the five-hole and Cronenworth batting eight.<\/p>\n Friday\u2019s win kept the Padres a half-game ahead of the Diamondbacks in the race for the NL\u2019s third wild-card spot.<\/p>\n At 79-68, the Padres, winners of five in a row, are again a season-high 11 games over .500.<\/p>\n Here is how the Giants (62-86) will line up for Game 2:<\/p>\n Listos para una Fiesta Gigantes \ud83c\udf89<\/p>\n \u231a\ufe0f: 1:05 p.m. PT
\ud83d\udccd: @OracleParkSF<\/a>
\ud83d\udcfa: @NBCSGiants<\/a>
\ud83d\udcfb: @KNBR<\/a> | KSFN#SFGiants<\/a> | @CocaCola<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/tnH6gIQ4a2<\/a><\/p>\n