First pitch is 7:10 PM PT for the series opener of a 3-game set in San Diego, and both teams enter with the rotation still listed TBD this far out. Whoever Walt Weiss can scrape together against whichever arm Mike Shildt sends out, this one is built around two clubs heading in opposite directions.
The Braves are 46-27 and still leading the division, but the last week has been a disaster. They got swept at home by the Giants in a 3-game series, with the finale ending in a rain-shortened 0-0 tie, and they've now lost 5 of 6. Atlanta is also without Ronald Acuna Jr., who manager Walt Weiss said is a "long way" from returning from his hamstring injury, and Spencer Strider just got moved to the 60-day IL.
The catching room got so thin behind Sean Murphy's fractured finger that Atlanta dealt for Joey Bart from Pittsburgh on Thursday in exchange for Hunter Stratton. Bart is still on the 10-day IL with a foot issue but is expected to join the active roster soon. That's the state of play for the Braves right now — patching holes mid-flight.
The Padres aren't exactly humming themselves at 38-35, but they salvaged the finale in St. Louis 6-1 behind a 3-hit, 2-RBI night from Fernando Tatis Jr. and a 2-run homer from Jackson Merrill. Tatis is in a real groove — 17-for-48 with 4 doubles and a homer over his last 11 — and a return to Petco against a wounded NL East favorite is the kind of soft landing San Diego could use.
- Day-To-DayMichael Harris II CF — Harris (back) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against San Francisco.
- 10-Day-ILJoey Bart C — Atlanta acquired Bart (foot) from the Pirates on Thursday in exchange for Hunter Stratton.
- 10-Day-ILRonald Acuna Jr. RF — Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Wednesday that Acuna (hamstring) is a "long way" from returning from the 10-day injured list, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILKyle Farmer DH — Farmer went 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two RBI in Sunday's rout of the Guardians.
- 15-Day-ILTyler Kinley RP — Kinley (4-2) picked up the win over the Nationals on Friday, striking out two in a perfect 11th inning.
- suspensionJurickson Profar LF — Profar will miss the full 2026 season after the appeal of his 162-game PED suspension was denied Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILSpencer Strider SP — Atlanta transferred Strider (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
- 60-Day-ILSean Murphy C — Murphy had the cast on his left hand removed Tuesday and is now wearing a splint to protect his fractured middle finger, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reprots.
- 7-day ilFreddy Fermin C — The Padres placed Fermin (concussion) on the 7-day injured list Sunday.
- 7-Day ILJake Cronenworth 2B — Cronenworth (concussion) has been participating in light baseball activities and is "ramping up," per MLB.com.
- 10-Day-ILLuis Campusano C — Campusano (toe) continues to rehab in Arizona but hasn't yet been scheduled for a minor-league rehab assignment, per MLB.com.
- 10-Day-ILMiguel Andujar DH — Andujar (hamstring) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.
- suspensionRon Marinaccio RP — Marinaccio was suspended three games by Major League Baseball for intentionally hitting Gunnar Henderson with a pitch during Saturday's game versus the Orioles, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
- bereavementMason Miller RP — Miller secured the save Sunday against the Orioles, throwing 1.1 clean innings. He struck out three.
- 15-Day-ILMatt Waldron SP — Waldron (forearm) made his first rehab appearance with Triple-A El Paso on Sunday, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings.
- 15-Day-ILGerman Marquez SP — Marquez (forearm) tossed four scoreless innings for Triple-A El Paso on Sunday, allowing one hit and issuing one walk while striking out two batters.
The injury list down in San Diego isn't short either. Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta, and German Marquez are all still out of the rotation. Jake Cronenworth (concussion) is ramping back up, Freddy Fermin is on the 7-day with his own concussion, and reliever Ron Marinaccio is in the middle of a 3-game suspension for plunking Gunnar Henderson. Both clubs are running with rosters they didn't draw up in spring.
Bottom line: the Braves are the better team on paper but they're skidding, traveling, and shorthanded at every premium spot. The Padres just got Tatis going at the right time. Monday night at Petco is a pure get-right spot for whichever side blinks first.