Padres pregame: Seeking seventh straight win, Joe Musgrove progresses

The Padres are a win away from matching their longest winning streak of the year, the seven-game run to start the season.

They’ll look to keep momentum rolling with all three newcomers in the lineup for the first time since Thursday’s trade deadline.

With a right-hander on the mound, Ryan O’Hearn will get his first start as the designated hitter and in the six-hole ahead of new left fielder Ramon Laureano. Catcher Freddy Fermin will bat ninth in his first start.

Saturday’s first pitch is at 7:10 p.m. (Padres.TV, CBS).

Ready for Saturday night. pic.twitter.com/iaHxYfOD2K

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 2, 2025

Only Laureano started Friday. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout but moved a runner over with a fly ball to right.

Because he’s been better against righties (.920 OPS) than lefties (.785 OPS) this year and can play all three outfield spots, Laureano is likely the newcomer who sees the most playing time.

Conversely, the trade deadline moves are already eating into Gavin Sheets’ opportunities, mostly because he and O’Hearn do the same things — bat left-handed and play left field and first base.

Sheets is out of the lineup a second straight game. He discussed what Thursday’s trades means for him in Kevin Acee’s newsletter.

Here is how the Cardinals, who activated Lars Nootbaar (left costochondral sprain), will line up for Game 2:

Late-night ball in San Diego! pic.twitter.com/uIxqk3dA3k

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 2, 2025

Musgrove progresses

Joe Musgrove threw 20 pitches — all fastballs — in his first official bullpen session since last October’s Tommy John surgery. It’s a baby step after he’d been throwing off the mound to a standing catcher, but it does move him further along in his hopes to pitch out of the bullpen in the postseason.

Musgrove expects to continue to throw bullpens every Tuesday and Saturday, increasing the pitch count by about five each time. He’ll begin introducing his secondary pitches after about eight sessions and perhaps begin to face hitters after 15 to 20 sessions.

If that schedule does not allow him to get into a rehab game at Triple-A El Paso before its season ends — the postseason is in play for the Chihuahuas after the regular season finale on Sept. 21 — the fall instructional league in Arizona is an option.

“I want one inning,” Musgrove said after Saturday’s bullpen. “I don’t care if it’s one hitter. I just want to be able to say I contributed in some aspect on the field. But it’s not about me. It’s if I feel good and everything looks good, it’s up to them if they want to put me out there for a playoff-type game for my first one back, so I need a lot to go my way.

“But I feel great right now.”

Saturday’s pitching matchup

Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (2-2, 4.91 ERA)

The 25-year-old rookie allowed seven runs on nine hits and two walks in 4⅔ innings in his last start, a loss to the Padres in St. Louis. McGreevy has a 19-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 33 innings this year.

Here is how McGreevy has fared against current Padres:

Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.65 ERA)

He faced the Cardinals in his last start, allowing a run on one hit and one walk in 4 ⅔ innings in a game the Padres went on to win. Vásquez had a 2.79 ERA in four starts in July, but he did not complete five innings in any of his last three starts.

Here is how Vasquez has fared against current Cardinals: