Padres pregame: Ron Marinaccio up to boost bullpen, Freddy Fermin back in lineup

LOS ANGELES — A day after using Randy Vásquez in bulk relief, the Padres optioned him out for right-hander Ron Marinaccio ahead of Saturday’s 6:10 p.m. start at Dodger Stadium (Padres.TV, CBS), boosting their bullpen to a nine-man staff for at least the next four days.

Vásquez covered 3⅔ innings on Saturday between Wandy Peralta (1⅓ IP), Jeremiah Estrada (1⅓ IP), Yuki Matsui (⅔ IP) and Mason Miller (1 IP).

The Padres were off Thursday and none over their leverage relievers were used in Wednesday’s blowout in San Francisco, but the next off day isn’t until Aug. 28 and the team is being proactive about resting their arms.

Vásquez would have been an option to start/bulk relieve on Wednesday had he not been optioned to Triple-A El Paso. He can’t return before 15 days without an injury (as was the case with replacing Michael King on the IL), so the Padres could be choosing between knuckleballer Matt Waldron and left-handers JP Sears and Kyle Hart for that turn in the rotation.

All three have made at least one start this year for the Padres, while Hart has worked in bulk relief once behind opener David Morgan.

That decision won’t be revealed/made for at least a few days, but it’s worth noting their recent work at Triple-A El Paso:

• Waldron allowed five runs in five innings on Friday;
• Hart has been strictly working in long relief since July and last pitched on Aug. 10 (2 IP, 1 ER);
• Sears allowed two runs in a win on Tuesday and is El Paso’s scheduled starter for Sunday.

Left-hander Omar Cruz is also on the 40-man roster, last pitched on Aug. 14 and has been used strictly as a reliever since July 10.

Marinaccio struck out four over 2⅔ scoreless innings in his first stint with the big-league team. He has a 4.91 ERA, 44 strikeouts and a 1.39 WHIP in 40⅓ innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Saturday night lineup. pic.twitter.com/pxANJcpSgn

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 16, 2025

A day after a brutal collision with the railing near the camera well — and a camera — Freddy Fermin is back behind the plate and batting ninth in a lineup identical to Friday’s.

Fermin stayed in the game after the collision after gathering himself. A day later, he spoke of soreness in the right shin after striking a camera more than anything bothering him in the chest area.

“I just took a big deep breath to try to recuperate and relax myself,” Fermin said of the collision through interpreter Jorge Merlos. “Obviously if I didn’t feel very good at that moment, I would have been taken out of the game right there. But I felt good enough that I would come back.”

Here is how the Dodgers will line up for Game 2:

Tonight’s #Dodgers lineup vs. Padres: pic.twitter.com/GQrrS91WXA

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 16, 2025

Saturday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Dylan Cease (5-10, 4.52 ERA)

He’s struck out 16 against three walks while allowing two runs in 11 innings over two starts since the trade deadline. Cease is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts this year against the Dodgers and has a 3.31 ERA in six Blake regular-season starts against the Dodges. But Cease also lost both playoff starts against the Dodgers last year (5 IP, 8 ER).

Here is how Cease has fared against current Dodgers in the regular season:

Dodgers LHP Blake Snell (2-1, 2.37 ERA)

He’s making his third start since coming off the injured list. Snell struck out 10 over five shutout innings last weekend against the Blue Jays. The two-time Cy Young winner is facing the Padres for the first time since leaving as a free agent after winning his NL award in 2023. His only appearance against the Padres was as a rookie in 2016 (5 IP, 1 ER).

Here is how Snell has fared against current Padres: