FriarNotes: Padres’ post-All-Star break surge powered by Merrill, Tatis, Machado, France, Rengifo, catchers and pitchers

By Bill Center

Luis Rengifo at Petco Park

Going into Wednesday afternoon’s series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park, the Padres have gone 16–9 since the All-Star break to climb back into the National League wildcard race.

Padres manager Craig Stammen recently credited the return to form of several core players as being crucial to the Padres’ recent surge. A look at several key Padres over the 25 games since the All-Star Break:

Jackson Merrill — He is hitting .347 (34-for-98) since the break with a Major League-leading nine home runs. He also has 24 RBIs and 19 runs in 25 games with a .363 on-base percentage and a .684 slugging percentage for a 1.046 OPS. His batting average has climbed from .219 to .247 and he has 19 home runs and 62 RBIs on the season after being re-established as the №5 hitter in the Padres’ batting order.

Fernando Tatis Jr. — The power has returned. He has seven home runs and 20 RBIs since the break. The home runs give Tatis the second-most in Padres’ history at 164 — passing Phil Nevin (156), Adrian Gonzalez (161) and Nate Colbert (163). Tatis has a .295/.391/.600/.991 slash line since the break.

Manny Machado — Run production is still the key and he has 23 home runs and 70 RBIs on the season. Is hitting .258 since the All-Star break with four home runs and 15 RBIs as he reached the 700 RBI plateau as a Padre.

Ty France — Since the All-Star game, the Gold Glove first baseman out of San Diego State has six home runs and 18 RBIs with a .347/.391/.600/.991 slash line. Yes, the last three numbers are identical to Tatis on-base, slug and OPS mark. On the season, France has 17 home runs and 51 RBIs and leads Padres regulars with a .292 batting average.

Luis Rengifo — Made only one appearance with the Padres before the All-Star Game. Since the break, has gone 26-for-79 (.329) with two doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs, 11 walks and 15 runs with a .424/.468/.892 slash line. Hit the first grand slam home run of his career Tuesday night against Milwaukee.

Freddy Fermin — Going into Wednesday, Fermin has hit safely in 14 straight starts. Since the break, the catcher is hitting .350 (14-for-40) with a home run and five RBIs and a .866 OPS, raising his batting average from.152 to .197. Fermin took a physical beating in the first half of the season, suffering injuries and at least two concussions. Tied for the Major League lead in throwing out would-be base stealers.

Luis Campusano — The catcher has hit all season when not on the injured list. But his slash line since the break is .327/.431/.429/.850 with a home run and eight RBIs in 48 at-bats.

Walker Buehler/Michael King — King has a 3.21 earned run average in five starts (28 innings) since the All-Star Game. Buehler has a 3.20 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break in 25 1/3 innings. The Padres are 5–0 since the break when Buehler starts and 17–7 in his 24 starts this season.

Mason Miller at Petco Park

Mason Miller — In 10 appearances since the All-Star break, the Padres’ closer is 2–0 with five saves, allowing one run on six hits and four walks with 20 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings. He now has 30 saves, reaching that total for the first time in his career.

Adrian Morejon — He has given up two runs (one earned) on eight hits and four walks with 18 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings since the break with a 1–0 record, a 0.68 ERA and a 0.900 WHIP, lowering his ERA from 3.42 to 2.84. He also has four holds and a save since the break.

Bradgley Rodriguez — The 22-year-old Venezuelan has moved into a higher-leverage role. Since the break he has a 1.84 ERA and a 0.868 WHIP in 12 appearances. Rodriguez has yet to allow a run in five career appearances where he has worked two innings.

PAD BITS:

— The Padres have reinstated right-handed relief pitcher David Morgan from the 15-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso.

— The Padres had their 50th sellout of the 2026 season Tuesday night.

— Tatis’ home run Tuesday night came on the first pitch of the at-bat. That was his Major League-leading 37th first-pitch hit of the season and the 36th time in his career that he homered on the first pitch of an at-bat.

PADRES HISTORY:

Aug. 12, 1984 — The Padres and Braves engage in a series of brawls during the Padres’ 5–3 loss in Atlanta. The benches clear in the second, fifth, eighth and ninth innings. It started when Braves’ pitcher Pascual Perez hit Padres lead-off hitter Alan Wiggins in the first. By the time the game ends, 13 players and both managers (the Padres’ Dick Williams and the Braves’ Joe Torre) had been ejected and five fans were arrested. Williams was fined $10,000 and suspended for 10 days.

PADRES ON DECK:

Three starting pitchers in the Padres’ farm system strung together zeroes Tuesday.

RHP Ian Koenig, 25, gave up 5 hits and a walk with 4 strikeouts over 7 scoreless innings for Double-A San Antonio, lowering his ERA to 4.47. LHP Luis Gonzalez, 23, gave up a hit and a walk with 4 strikeouts in 3 scoreless innings for High Single-A Fort Wayne to lower his ERA to 2.25. LHP Carlos Alvarez (18, 3.25 ERA) gave up 2 hits and 2 walks over 5 innings in the Dominican Summer League.

The trading of three top-10 prospects at the trade deadline to strengthen the Padres rotation has led to a reshuffling of their top-10 prospect list by the MLB Pipeline rankings. C Ethan Salas, 20, who was recently promoted to Triple-A El Paso, remains the Padres’ №1 prospect. Starting LHP Kruz Schoolcraft, the Padres’ first-round draft pick in 2025, is №2. Following in order are 3. C Ty Harvey; 4. CF Ryan Wideman; 5. RH starting pitcher Bryan Balzer; 6. RH relief pitcher Tucker Musgrove; 7. RH starting pitcher Lan-Hong Su; 8. OF-1B Kale Fountain; 9. RH starting pitcher Michael Salina, and 10. LH starting pitcher Jagger Haynes.