Leahy's profile is interesting in a spot like this. His 4.64 ERA isn't sparkling and the last time out against Minnesota he gave up 4 earned in 5 innings, but he's pitched better at home and he's facing an offense that just managed 0 runs across 18 innings against May and Pallante. The matchup advantage doesn't have to be elite to play here — it just has to keep the line moving.
Rodriguez is the wild card. The 2.16 ERA sparkles, but the last outing on the books was a 1-inning, 11-pitch cameo back on May 12. Whatever the Padres are doing with him — bullpen game, opener, short hook — they aren't getting length, and the bullpen behind him is operating without Estrada and (temporarily) without Mason Miller, who's on the bereavement list after closing things out in Baltimore last weekend.
- 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-DaySem Robberse (SP) — Robberse (elbow) has been sent to the Cardinals' Florida Complex League affiliate to begin a rehab assignment.06/16
- 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-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
The line tells the rest of the story. Cardinals -1.5 was juiced from +185 to +156 overnight, which is a real move on a run line and a tell that the market thinks St. Louis is the better team and the better pitching staff in this spot. San Diego at 37-35 is treading water, St. Louis at 40-31 looks like the steadier club, and the Padres need to find a pulse at the plate fast or this short trip becomes a full sweep.