Padres pregame: Nestor Cortes to IL, Randy Vasquez and Michael King updates

DENVER — The Padres brought two fresh arms for their weekend trip to hitter-friendly Coors Field. One (Randy Vásquez) will start Saturday. The other (Ron Marinaccio) is bolstering the bullpen on Friday as left-hander Nestor Cortes was placed on the injured list with left biceps tendonitis.

Cortes allowed six runs in 2⅔ innings on Wednesday. Four of the seven hits he allowed left the yard and three were back-to-back-to-back in the third inning.

The 30-year-old Cuban has a 5.47 ERA in six starts since he was acquired from the trade deadline but a 15.19 ERA in two starts following the six shutout innings that Cortes threw at the Dodgers on Aug. 23.

Cortes had been on the injured list for four months with a flexor strain when the Padres acquired him from the Brewers.

“He’s been a little ouchy all year,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said when asked if there’s any relation to the previous injury.

Marinaccio has struck out five over 4⅔ scoreless innings across three appearances so far with the Padres. He had a 5.05 ERA in 46⅓ innings out of Triple-A El Paso’s bullpen this year.

The Padres will have to make another move Saturday before handing the ball to Vásquez, who was with Triple-A El Paso and on the Chihuahuas’ paternity list after flying from Sacramento to San Diego for the birth of his fifth child. He last pitched in the minors on Aug. 23 and was last in the majors on Aug. 15 as a bulk reliever at Dodger Stadium (3⅔ IP).

“Even though I’ve been away and haven’t pitched in a while, I feel like I’ve been ready,” Vásquez said through interpreter Jorge Merlos. “I’ve been able to sustain myself by going in the gym and throwing my bullpens as well. So feel like I’ve been able to maintain myself well enough throughout the last couple days.”

Meantime, it should be noted that Michael King (knee) pushed to make a start this weekend at Coors Field. He and the team ultimately decided on a five-inning start (62 pitches) on Thursday in the unofficial Arizona Bridge League.

“Fielded his position, felt good afterwards and felt good today,” Shildt said.

King still does not have an official timeline, but he appears to be trending toward a return to the rotation next week.

Lineup talk

The Padres have a new two-hole hitter for Game 1 at Coors Field as Ryan O’Hearn will bat second and man first base as Luis Arraez sits against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland. Gavin Sheets will serve as the DH and bat fourth.

Friday night lineup. pic.twitter.com/1D0AEiteDD

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 5, 2025

Shildt pointed toward both Arraez’s workload (134 games) and O’Hearn’s and Sheets’ success against left-handed pitching. O’Hearn is 8-for-16 with two doubles, two homers and two walks in 19 plate appearances since arriving at the trade deadline and Sheets is hitting .283/.317/.416 for a .733 OPS against lefties this year.

Arraez is hitting .253/.276/.331 for a .607 OPS against lefties.

“Luis has played a lot this year,” Shildt said. “A couple things, not the primary one, but the way things lined up was he was able to get an extra day after an off day. So it’s two full days for him. But O’Hearn and Sheets have been really good against lefties. We got a lefty on their side today, and that’s the highlights of it.”

The Padres also scored 37 runs, mashed nine homers and slugged .597 during their previous three-game trip to Coors Field in May and O’Hearn and Sheets have more slug in their game than Arraez.

“It’s a part,” Shildt said, “but we take Louie anywhere.”

Here is how the Rockies will line up for Game 1:

City Connect Friday at 20th & Blake

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— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 5, 2025

Friday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (13-4, 2.84 ERA)

He started the Padres’ last victory—five innings, three runs (two earned) in a 12-3 win in Minnesota on Saturday—and the team is 11-3 when he pitches after a loss. Pivetta has allowed six runs in 11 innings in two starts this year against the Rockies, with all six runs scoring in his four-inning loss at Coors Field in May. Pivetta has lost all four starts in his career at Coors Field (14 IP, 27 ER, 5 HRs).

Here is how Pivetta has fared against current Rockies:

Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (3-14, 5.41 ERA)

He was ejected after just eight pitches for his part in Tuesday’s benches-clearing incident with the Giants, so he’s plenty fresh for another start three days later. His 14 losses are tied for a career high, while a hit rate of 11.4 per nine innings is the worst of his career. Freeland has a 4.74 ERA in 127⅓ career innings against the Padres, including five runs in five innings in a loss in April in San Diego.

Here is how Freeland has fared against current Padres: