Ethan Salas remains sidelined with back spasms.
Perhaps that’s an opportunity for Brandon Valenzuela.
The 24-year-old catcher hit his second home run of the season on Sunday in Double-A San Antonio’s 5-4 win at Amarillo.
Valenzuela is hitting .211/.308/.351 through 15 games in what amounts to his third tour through the Texas League. He’d been a regular inhabitant in Padres’ top-30 prospect rankings, but had been slowed by injuries in recent years and reached minor league free agency after the 2024 season.
Valenzuela returned to the organization on a minor league deal and was later invited to his first big-league spring training. He hit .195/.292/.234 in 27 games last year in his first action at Triple-A El Paso, where Luis Campusano is getting the bulk of the action this year.
Salas has not played since April 7. The Padres have termed his absence as precautionary, but they have not placed him on the injured list.
Second baseman Anthony Vilar (.670 OPS), a converted catcher, also hit his second homer in Sunday’s win, while third baseman Wyatt Hoffman (.405 OPS) went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
Left-hander Jagger Haynes (2-1, 5.40 ERA) allowed three runs in five innings in the win.
Right-hander Manuel Castro (0.84 ERA) struck out three over 1⅔ scoreless innings for his first save.
San Antonio is 11-10.
Around the farm
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (12-15)
Sacramento 7, Chihuahuas 2: RHP Jared Kollar (1-3, 7.23 ERA) allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks in four innings in the loss. 1B Trenton Brooks (1.024 OPS) doubled twice, walked and rove in a run. 2B Ripken Reyes (.764 OPS) went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. RF Yonathan Perlaza (1.061 OPS) also doubled, while SS Eguy Rosario (.417 OPS) went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (10-11)
TinCaps 5, Lansing 4: RF Braedon Karpathios (.825 OPS) hit his third homer and 2B Brandon Butterworth (.773 OPS) and CF Nerwilian Cedeno (.715 OPS) both hit their first homers of the season. SS Leo De Vries (.854 OPS) went 0-for-4 with a walk. RHP Garrett Hawkins (3-1, 5.25 ERA) struck out two over two scoreless innings in relief for the win. RHP Eric Yost (2.20 ERA) allowed two runs in 4⅔ innings in the start.
LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (7-14)
Visalia 9, Storm 7: RHP Will Varmette (27.00) allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning in the start and LHP Luis Gutierrez (0-3, 5.87 ERA) allowed four runs in 3⅓ innings in relief. CF Kasen Wells (.788 OPS) went 2-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored. C Lamar King Jr. (.831 OPS) went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and three walks.
