Padres pregame: Streaking Luis Arraez back in batting title hunt

Luis Arraez has some work to do if he’s going to win a fourth straight batting title.

Perhaps he’s on his way.

Arraez is riding a career-high 15-game hitting streak into Sunday’s rubber match with the St. Louis Cardinals.

First pitch is at 1:10 p.m.

Arraez collected two hits in Saturday’s loss, raising his batting average to .299. That’s fourth in the NL behind Dodgers catcher Will Smith (.325), Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (.302) and teammate Manny Machado (.301), who is hitting .500/.537/.763 during a nine-game hitting streak.

Machado collected one in Saturday’s loss, a single off the wall to drive in Arraez. Machado was thrown out trying to advance to second base.

Arraez is hitting .411/.450/.518 while collecting hits in every game since the All-Star break.

The Padres are 9-5 since then and 61-50 overall, just three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. They’ve also built a three-game cushion on the Reds (58-53) in the race for the NL’s final wild-card spot and trail the No. 2 Phillies (62-48) by just 1½ games.

Sunday matinee. pic.twitter.com/gjTVcK2Quv

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 3, 2025

Arraez will serve as the DH Sunday, giving newcomer Ryan O’Hearn his first start at first base. Ramón Laureano will remain in left field for a third straight game, meaning Gavin Sheets is on the bench a third straight game.

Sheets also has not been used as a pinch-hitter since the trade deadline.

Freddy Fermin is getting a second straight start behind the plate.

Here is how the Cardinals (56-56) will line up for the series finale:

Going for the series win! pic.twitter.com/X5bwf7AfjM

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 3, 2025

Sunday’s pitching matchup

Cardinals RHP Andre Pallante (6-7, 4.62 ERA)

The fourth-year starter is the only Cardinals rotation member who did not face the Padres in last week’s four-game series in St. Louis. He’s coming off seven shutout innings against the Marlins after posting a 9.77 ERA over his previous three starts. Pallante has a 2.70 ERA in 13⅓ innings in his career against the Padres. He allowed two runs in 6⅔ innings in two appearances last year.

Here is how Pallante has fared against current Padres:

Padres RHP Dylan Cease (3-10, 4.79 ERA)

A grand slam chased him from his last start (4⅔ IP, 5 ERA) after he took a comebacker off the back of his head. Imaging cleared Cease after the game. Cease has a 7.84 ERA in two starts (10 ⅓ IP) against the Cardinals, including four innings in 4⅓ innings in a no-decision last year.

Here is how Cease has fared against current Cardinals: