Padres pregame: Nick Pivetta takes the mound in tough place for Friars

by Kevin Acee

ST. LOUIS — The Padres will try to avoid their first four-game losing streak since mid-May when they play the Cardinals Friday night.

They are doing so against a pitcher who has mostly fared well against them in a city that has been historically inhospitable for them.

In eight career starts against the Padres, Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas (5-7, 5.20) has a 3.00 ERA and six quality starts.

The Padres did score four runs in 5⅔ innings against him here last August in a relatively rare victory in the Cardinals’ home ballpark.

The Padres are 87-173 (.335) in St. Louis, which with Thursday’s loss became the worst winning percentage in history by one National League team at the home ballpark of another NL team.

Entering the series, the Padres’ winning percentage against the Cardinals here was .0001 better than the Rockies’ all-time record in San Francisco (90-178).

The Padres’ record in the current Busch Stadium, which opened in 2006, is 19-43 (306). They have lost 15 of their past 18 here.

The Padres do have a couple hitters in Friday’s lineup who have fared well against Mikolas. That includes Jose Iglesias, who is starting at third base and batting eighth while Manny Machado serves as designated hitter.

Padres v. Cardinals
Facing RHP Miles Mikolas
Tatis RF
Arraez 1B
Machado DH
Merrill CF
Bogaerts SS
Sheets LF
Cronenworth 2B
Iglesias 3B
Diaz C
SP: Pivetta
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) July 25, 2025

The Padres have their best starting pitcher on the mound looking to stop the team’s three-game skid, which includes a 4-3 loss and 3-2 loss in Miami and Thursday’s 9-7 defeat.

Nick Pivetta (10-2, 2.81) has a 0.57 ERA across 31⅓ innings in his past five starts. He held the Cardinals to one hit over six innings here last May while pitching for the Red Sox. The one hit was a home run by Lars Nootbaar, who is on the injured list.