The San Diego Padres secured a 4-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday night to improve to 51-53 on the season and extend the Marlins’ losing streak to 10 games.
Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the series opener while starting in right field. For Saturday’s matchup, the Padres made a change to how they are using him.
Padres Announce Tatis Jr. Decision
While Tatis Jr. remains in the lineup against Marlins ace Eury Pérez and will continue batting leadoff, the Padres have moved him out of right field and will give him a day off defensively.
He will serve as the team’s designated hitter, while Gavin Sheets gets the start in right field and bats seventh in the lineup.
Here’s the full Padres lineup:
Padres 7/25
F. Tatis Jr. DH
J. Cronenworth 2B
M. Machado 3B
T. France 1B
J. Merrill CF
L. Rengifo LF
G. Sheets RF
X. Bogaerts SS
F. Fermin CR. Vásquez SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) July 25, 2026
Tatis Jr.’s 2026 Season
It’s been an up-and-down season for Tatis Jr., who started the year slowly but has settled in over the last few months.
He’s batting a respectable .283 with 114 hits across 403 at-bats. However, he has recorded just eight home runs and 47 RBIs while slugging .402 and maintaining an OPS of .753.
Padres Right Now
San Diego is in an interesting position at 51-53, as the team must decide whether it wants to be buyers or sellers ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
While the Padres have been underwhelming this season, they remain just 4.0 games back of a Wild Card spot. Their biggest need is without a doubt starting pitching, and there are several options available if they decide to buy and make a second-half push.
San Diego Padres Announce Fernando Tatis Jr. Decision During Marlins Series