Padres pregame: A tale of two different starts to halves

Last year’s Comic Con trip coming out of the All-Star break ultimately defined the Padres’ season.

The Padres are hoping this year’s road trip to start the second half does not.

The Padres enter Saturday’s 4:15 p.m. first pitch (Padres.TV / CBS) on a four-game skid that has dropped the team to 3-5 to start the unofficial second half.

Last year, the Padres ultimately went a major-league best 43-20 after the All-Star break to claim the NL’s No. 1 wild-card spot. This year, they’re holding onto the third wild-card spot with a one-game cushion on the Giants and Reds. The host Cardinals are just 1½ games behind the Padres as there are six teams within five games of the NL’s last wild-card spot.

The Padres’ slow start to the second half has also dropped them 4½ games behind the Phillies (59-54), the NL’s current second wild-card team, and six games behind the Dodgers (61-53) in the NL West.

The Padres’ only saving grace in their current position is they began the second half in a better spot than they did last year, when they were just one game over .500. These Padres were 52-44 before splitting their first six games after the break, at the Nationals and Marlins, and then dropping the first two games in St. Louis.

Last year’s lineup, of course, was a deeper lineup that found its footing even before trading for bullpen help. This one needs help at catcher and a right-handed hitter who can help in left field and at DH, not to mention more consistent production from its highest-paid players.

The Padres rank 28th in OPS (.659) since May 11 and only one hitter has an OPS over .800 over that stretch.

Here’s a look at today’s lineup with Saturday’s starters’ production since the day after a historic 21-0 win at Coors Field on May 10:

1. RF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.739 OPS)
2. DH Luis Arraez (.694 OPS)
3. 3B Manny Machado (.825 OPS)
4. CF Jackson Merrill (.605 OPS)
5. SS Xander Bogaerts (.742 OPS)
6. 1B Jake Cronenworth (.677 OPS)
7. 2B Jose Iglesias (.588 OPS)
8. LF Bryce Johnson (.688 OPS)
9. C Martín Maldonado (.541 OPS)

The left-handed-hitting Gavin Sheets is getting the day off against Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore. Sheets has a .675 OPS since May 11 and is hitting .097/.176/.097 with two walks and seven strikeouts in eight games (34 plate appearances) to start the second half.

Here is how the Cardinals (54-51) will line up for Game 3:

Going for the series win! pic.twitter.com/bfZLnipZRY

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 26, 2025

Saturday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.73 ERA)

He’s walked (eight) more than he’s struck out (two) over his last three starts. He has a 3.07 ERA over that stretch, but Vásquez has also been pulled before getting out of the fifth inning in each as his opponent OPS jumps from .690 the first time through the order to .708 the second time and .919 a third time. Vásquez beat the Cardinals with six innings of two-run ball in a start last year.

Here is how Vasquez has fared against current Cardinals:

Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore (6-7, 4.13 ERA)

The fourth-year starter’s ERA would be a career low if the season ended today, while he’s at a career high 100⅓ innings. Liberatore allowed six runs in three innings in his last start. Liberatore has faced the Padres five times as a reliever, allowing two runs in 5⅓ innings.

Here is how Liberatore has fared against current Padres: