The Cardinals are a confusing team — 39-31 and a game ahead of the Padres in the playoff math, but losers of 3 of their last 5 before Dustin May went out and threw the first complete-game shutout of his career on Monday. May carried a perfect game into the 7th before Tatis walked and Machado singled. That's the only baserunner the Padres managed in 9 innings.
Pallante has been quietly excellent in his own right. 7 wins, a sub-4 ERA, and his last start was a 6-inning, 2-run effort against the Mets where he needed just 93 pitches. He's a sinker-heavy contact guy — exactly the profile that can give a Padres lineup still missing Jake Cronenworth (concussion), Freddy Fermin (concussion), Luis Campusano (toe) and Miguel Andujar (hamstring) fits.
- 7-day ilFreddy Fermin (C) — The Padres placed Fermin (concussion) on the 7-day injured list Sunday.06/14
- 7-Day ILJake Cronenworth (2B) — Cronenworth (concussion) has been participating in light baseball activities and is "ramping up," per MLB.com.06/08
- 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.06/14
- 10-Day-ILMiguel Andujar (DH) — Andujar (hamstring) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.06/13
- bereavementMason Miller (RP) — Miller secured the save Sunday against the Orioles, throwing 1.1 clean innings. He struck out three.06/15
- 15-Day-ILMatt Waldron (SP) — Waldron (forearm) made his first rehab appearance with Triple-A El Paso on Sunday, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings.06/15
- 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.06/08
- 15-Day-ILJeremiah Estrada (RP) — Estrada (2-2) picked up the loss after giving up the eventual game-winning run in a 3-2 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday.06/05
- OutYu Darvish (SP) — Darvish (elbow) revealed Tuesday in a social media post that he has resumed playing catch.05/12
- 60-Day-ILNick Pivetta (SP) — Pivetta (forearm) progressed to throwing from 90 feet with some intensity June 10, per MLB.com.06/14
- 60-Day-ILJoe Musgrove (SP) — Musgrove (elbow) started playing catch in late May, per MLB.com.06/08
- 60-Day-ILRamon Laureano (LF) — Laureano underwent surgery Friday to repair his torn right labrum, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.06/05
- 60-Day-ILBryan Hoeing (RP) — The Padres transferred Hoeing (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08
- Day-To-DayPacky Naughton (RP) — Naughton will undergo surgery next month to repair the damaged UCL in his left elbow, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.05/14
- Day-To-DaySem Robberse (SP) — Robberse (elbow) signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals on Monday, which includes an invitation to spring training, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayVictor Santos (RP) — The Red Sox traded Santos (undisclosed) and Nick Robertson to the Cardinals on Friday in exchange for Tyler O'Neill (foot), Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayIxan Henderson (SP) — Henderson (elbow) is starting the season on the 60-day injured list at Triple-A Memphis.05/08
- Day-To-DayZack Thompson (RP) — The Cardinals reassigned Thompson (shoulder) to minor-league camp Monday.05/08
- 15-Day-ILRyan Fernandez (RP) — Fernandez (back) is on track to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.06/15
- 60-Day-ILRamon Urias (3B) — Urias (elbow) returned to St. Louis to undergo an examination on his left elbow, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.06/12
Mason Miller is on the bereavement list, which is the bigger short-term bullpen domino than it looks — he just locked down the save Sunday in Baltimore. Robert Suarez is still the closer, but the bridge gets shakier for a couple days. If this turns into another low-scoring grinder like Monday, the team that gets to the other guy's middle innings first probably wins it.
Padres needed yesterday and got nothing. Tuesday is the not-a-must-win that absolutely feels like one.