The Padres will begin their road trip in Pittsburgh with another body coming off the injured list.
Outfielder Brandon Lockridge was activated before the start of a three-game series against the Pirates. To make room, outfielder Tirso Ornelas was optioned back to Triple-A El Paso.
With a right-hander on the mound for Friday’s 3:40 p.m. first pitch (Apple TV+), Lockridge is on the bench to start his return from the injured list. The Pirates, however, will throw left-handers on Saturday and Sunday so Lockridge will likely return to the lineup, perhaps in center field, where he was starting in the immediate aftermath of Jackson Merrill’s hamstring strain.
Lockridge was hitting .194/.265/.258 with three steals in three tries, three walks and eight strikeouts in 36 plate appearances before his hamstring strain.
Merrill is expected back by the start of the Yankees series.
Which means Tyler Wade’s time in center field is limited, but he’ll get the start there on Friday even with Lockridge active.
Starting the road trip with #FridayNightBaseball!
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— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 2, 2025
Wade is hitting .289/.413/.368 with two RBIs in 47 plate appearances since his call-up from Triple-A El Paso.
Wade will hit seventh on Friday, between second baseman Jose Iglesias and left fielder Jason Heyward.
Martín Maldonado will catch the opener and bat ninth.
Ornelas was 1-for-14 with an RBI, two walks and two strikeouts in his first big-league call-up.
Here is how the Pirates will line up:
Game 1 vs. the Padres.
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Friday’s pitching matchup
Padres RHP Dylan Cease (1-2, 5.76 ERA)
He’s averaging 10.9 hits allowed per nine innings, well above the 6.5 he allowed last year en route to finishing fourth in NL Cy Young voting. He has also completed six innings just once this year and a walked a season-high four batters in his last start (4⅓ IP, 2 ER). Cease has a 2.31 ERA in three career starts against the Pirates, but he was washed out of last year’s start by rain after one inning.
Here is how Cease has fared against current Pirates:
Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (1-2, 3.97 ERA)
He’s allowed just two home runs this season (34 IP), but both have arrived inside his last three games (3.71 ERA) after throwing 7⅓ shutout innings on April 9. Lefties have a .790 OPS against Keller this year, compared to righties’ .450. He has a 5.88 ERA in five starts in his career against the Padres, which includes eight runs in five innings last year.
Here is how Keller has fared against current Padres:
