Padres pregame: Randy Vásquez starts Thursday, JP Sears arrives to spell rest of rotation

Randy Vásquez will get another chance to strengthen his grip on a rotation spot tonight.

That’s not why JP Sears flew in to San Diego this morning.

No, the 29-year-old left-hander will be starting Friday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, allowing the Padres to give the rest of the starters in the rotation at least an extra day of rest.

Dylan Cease will start Saturday, followed by Yu Darvish in the series finale. That means Michael King and Nick Pivetta will both get two extra days of rest as they will start the first two games of the series in New York after an off-day on Monday.

“It’s confidence in JP and the ability to make sure we’re taking care of Darvish,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “You know, Michael just came back and recovered well, but continue to make sure what that looks like. Dylan and Nick have been taking the ball and making sure they’re getting their days appropriately and we know we’re keeping everybody in a position where they can go out and go pitch and dominate as a starter should.”

A balky elbow forced Darvish to start the season on the injured list and he has allowed nine home runs over his last seven starts (5.08 ERA). King is also coming back from a second injured list stint and likely has just three starts left before he takes the ball in the postseason. The Padres are also ultra-cognizant of the fact that Cease has essentially taken the ball every fifth or sixth day since becoming a full-time big-leaguer in 2021.

Cease’s next start will be his 30th of the year. He has made at least 32 starts each season in the majors. His 867 innings over that span are eighth-most in the majors, while his 1,086 strikeouts are 45 more than the next-best pitcher (Zack Wheeler) on that list.

Sears might not be the only pitcher to figure into the equation down the stretch, especially after the Padres clinch a postseason spot.

Left-hander Nestor Cortes threw about 10 fastballs off a mound on Wednesday, his first throwing session of any kind since left biceps tendonitis sent him to the injured list last week. He expects to throw a bullpen Friday or Saturday.

“After that, we’ll see how I feel and plan accordingly,” Cortes said.

The 30-year-old left-hander had been rehabbing a flexor strain since early April when the Padres acquired him at the deadline form the Brewers. He threw six one-hit innings at the Dodgers in his fourth start after the trade only to give up three runs in three innings in his next start and six runs in the 2⅓ innings in the start after that.

The team placed him on the injured list on Friday after arriving at Coors Field, clearing the way in part for Vásquez to take a spot in a rotation that was also preparing for King’s return from his second injured list stint.

Asked about what led to his return to the injured list, Cortes said: “A combination of everything. I would say probably when I got traded over here, I had to go (pitch). Could be that I was overcompensating from the elbow to the shoulder. A couple different things it could be.”

Thursday’s lineups

Jake Cronenworth will start a second straight game at shortstop and his third in the last five games as the Padres continue to monitor Xander Bogaerts’ ramp-up now that he’s two days into his progression toward a hopeful return from the fracture in his left foot.

New day, new series. pic.twitter.com/oa8nmgFEgx

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 11, 2025

Jose Iglesias has the other two starts, but he was removed after taking a pitch off his left hand on Tuesday. X-Rays were negative and Iglesias was used as a pinch-runner on Wednesday.

Cronenworth (.757 OPS) will hit eighth, between first baseman Ryan O’Hearn (.804 OPS) and catcher Freddy Fermin (.653 OPS). Luis Arraez (.702 OPS) will man second base and bat second and Gavin Sheets (.793 OPS) will serve as the DH and clean-up hitter.

Here is how the Rockies will line up for the opener of a four-game series:

#Rockies vs. #Padres pic.twitter.com/i4qGqz6OZh

— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) September 11, 2025

Thursday’s pitching matchup

Rockies RHP McCade Brown (0-3, 12.54 ERA)

He’s making a second consecutive start against the Padres after allowing six runs on five hits and a walk in 1⅔ innings on Saturday at Coors Field. Brown is four starts into his career and has yet to pitch into the fifth inning. He has a 6-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his first 9⅓ innings in the majors.

Here is how the Padres fared against the Padres last week:

Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (4-6, 3.91 ERA)

He returned to the rotation on Saturday at Coors Field, allowing three runs — two earned — in six innings in a win against these same Rockies. He struck out three and did not walk or hit a batter. Vásquez is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA, eight strikeouts and one walk in his two starts this year against the Rockies, both at Coors.

Here is how he has fared against current Rockies: