The San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles are set for a 3-game series at Camden Yards. Griffin Canning and Shane Baz will face off against each other as both hurlers are pitching in different directions right now. Baz is one of the hottest pitchers in the game, while Canning is still looking to cement himself in the Padres’ rotation. First pitch is at 7:05 ET.
Ahead of the series opener, the Padres made an overdue roster transaction. Xander Bogaerts is returning from the Paternity List, and the team is designating outfielder Bryce Johnson for assignment as a result of the move. The team decided to keep outfielders Samad Taylor and Jase Bowen, who have played well in their short stint with the big league club.
It was a shock to see Johnson last this long on the Friars, as he was a defensive-first player on a team that struggles offensively. San Diego contains the worst offense in the league, and Johnson wasn’t helping. He hit just .178 with a .451 OPS with only two RBIs as a primary bench player. As the team goes in a different direction, the hope for Johnson is that someone can claim him. If not, he could end up back in the Padres’ minor-league system.
Bogaerts is not having a great season, but he picked up his pace of play in 2025 at the beginning of summer. If he follows through with that again, then that would be a massive boost for this team. The Padres are hoping that he, Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill can turn back into the hitters that their value shows. The good news is that Fernando Tatis Jr. is all the way back, turning into one of the hottest hitters in the league, despite his only two home runs this season.
San Diego desperately needs another series win, and they have a good opportunity in Baltimore.
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