Padres pregame: Both Jake Cronenworth (elbow), Jackson Merrill (ankle) sitting

Two starters nursing injuries has opened the door for both Ryan O’Hearn and Gavin Sheets to be in the same lineup for just the second time since the trade deadline.

Tuesday’s first pitch against the San Francisco Giants is at 6:40 p.m.

Jose Iglesias will man second base in place of Jake Cronenworth (elbow), while Jackson Merrill will miss a second straight game after exiting Sunday with left ankle discomfort, forcing the Padres to move Ramón Laureano into center field on Tuesday.

Tonight’s squad. pic.twitter.com/sM0iACFbyI

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 19, 2025

Merrill rolled the ankle on Friday at Dodger Stadium. The X-ray was negative.

“Which is clearly positive,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “He’s day-to-day, feels incrementally better today, but everybody heals differently. He’s a young athlete, so we’ll see, but ankles (can) be tricky.”

As in it appears that Merrill isn’t out of the woods yet. He’s still walking with a limp and managing the frustration of another injury slowing him in a rollercoaster sophomore season.

“It’s just frustrating,” Merrill said Tuesday afternoon. “It’s a lot of uncontrollable injuries this year. It’s been an up and down year. A lot of good ups. A lot of bad downs. Just kind of going through it. But stay positive thoughts. Team’s going to get hot here, we’re going to get on a roll and roll into October.

“Just looking to get back into it.”

Asked about a potential stint on the injured list — which would be his third this year following the hamstring in April and the concussion in June — Merrill said: “We’ll see. I’m not really thinking about it right now. I’m just focusing on today and what I got today.”

A day after getting hit by a pitch above his right elbow, Cronenworth can at least bend his arm. That was a challenge late Monday night. He woke up feeling better than he expected, he said, and hoped to be available off the bench Tuesday.

With Laureano in center field, Sheets will start in left field, O’Hearn will serve as the DH and Luis Arraez will play first base. O’Hearn is also the DH, while Sheets will bat seventh, between Laureano and Iglesias.

Elias Díaz will start behind the plate again for Nick Pivetta.

The Padres (69-56) have lost four in a row, but they are still two games behind the Dodgers (71-54) in the NL West. They are also two games behind the Cubs (71-54) in the race for the NL’s top wild-card spot.

Here is how the Giants (61-64) will line up for Game 2:

Today's #SFGiants lineup pic.twitter.com/YbGZdOLbY9

— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) August 19, 2025

Tuesday’s pitching matchup

Giants RHP Kai-Wei Teng (1-2, 9.90 ERA)

The 26-year-old rookie was knocked around for seven runs — six earned — in 1⅔ innings by the Padres last week in San Francisco. He has struck out eight and walked eight in 10 innings since joining the big-league team. The Padres worked four of those walks last week.

Here is how Teng has faired against current Padres:

Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (12-4, 2.87 ERA)

He matched up with Teng last week, striking out five over 6 ⅔ innings of one-run ball. Pivetta scattered four hits and a walk in the start. He had allowed eight runs in 11⅓ innings in two previous starts against the Giants. Pivetta has a 2.41 ERA in 13 starts at Petco this season.

Here is how Pivetta has fared against current Giants: