Padres Aim to Climb Standings Against Struggling Pirates

San Diego, CA — The San Diego Padres begin a crucial road trip against the Pittsburgh Pirates starting Friday afternoon. The Padres, currently second in the NL West, look to improve their record after recently sweeping the Giants.

San Diego holds a 19-11 record and is just 1½ games behind the division-leading Dodgers. The Padres excelled against the Pirates last season, winning all six matchups while outscoring them 35-17. However, San Diego is set to miss their ace, Paul Skenes, again in this series.

On the other hand, the Pirates sit at 12-20, struggling to keep pace in the NL Central, where they are down seven games. Their minus-38 run differential is the fifth worst in Major League Baseball.

For the Padres, several players are stepping up as they navigate injuries. Outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. leads the team with a .951 OPS and two home runs over the last two weeks. First baseman Luis Arraez and outfielder Jason Heyward have also made impactful returns from injuries in recent games.

The Pirates are experiencing their own ups and downs. Four players, including designated hitter Andrew McCutchen, have posted an OPS over .800 in the last week, but the team overall has struggled at the plate, posting a .224 batting average.

Friday’s matchup features Padres right-hander Dylan Cease (1-2, 5.76 ERA) against Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (1-2, 3.97 ERA). Cease is averaging a concerning 10.9 hits allowed per nine innings, while Keller has struggled against left-handers but kept a low home run count this season.

San Diego will welcome back outfielder Brandon Lockridge, activated from the injured list. Lockridge will start on the bench initially but could return to center field as he ramps up from his hamstring strain.

The game is set to start at 3:40 p.m. on Friday and will be broadcast on Apple TV+.