Sports
Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres aim to run past Braves again
Mar 27, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates as he scores during the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images If Opening Day is any indication, expect San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. to do a lot more stealing in 2025.
Tatis went 3-for-4 and swiped two bases Thursday in San Diego’s come-from-behind 7-4 win over the visiting Atlanta Braves. He took advantage of the slow delivery of Chris Sale to pilfer third base on both occasions.
The series continues on Friday night at Petco Park.
Last year, Tatis hit .276 with 21 homers and 49 RBIs but stole only 11 bases in 102 games. Missing 60 games from late June to early September with a stress reaction in his right leg put a crimp in his totals and his ability to run.
A new year and better health, however, appear to have returned the wheels to a guy who has swiped as many as 29 bases in 2023.
“I feel amazing and I think I showed it today,” he said. “I have my legs under myself.”
Tatis also hit in the leadoff spot against Sale, one of the toughest left-handers around. Manager Mike Shildt said that Luis Arraez fits at the top of the order but that he would consider leading off Tatis in other games.
Tatis wasn’t the only San Diego player showing off some hot wheels. Manny Machado stole a pair of bases, including a seventh inning double steal with Xander Bogaerts that led to the team’s last run.
“We talk about (building) the offensive machine,” Shildt said, “and with the baserunning, everybody was on point.”
The Padres hope that right-hander Dylan Cease is on point for his first start of 2025.
Cease went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA last year, his first with San Diego. And after the bullpen covered 6 1/3 innings after a short start by Michael King, the team could use some length from Cease.
Cease is 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA in three career starts versus the Braves.
Atlanta will counter with right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, coming off the best season of his nine-year MLB career. Lopez posted an 8-5 mark and a 1.99 ERA in 135 2/3 innings over 26 appearances, fanning 148. Right shoulder inflammation cost him a chunk of time in September.
Lopez is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in three career outings against the Padres.
Injuries were the overarching story of the Braves’ 2024, even though they made the playoffs.
Most of last year’s walking wounded appear ready for this year. That includes third baseman Austin Riley, who rifled a 421-foot homer in the fourth inning Thursday to give his team a 4-3 edge that the bullpen couldn’t hold.
Riley feels Atlanta is flying under a National League radar heavily covered by the Los Angeles Dodgers with occasional New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies sightings on the horizon.
“Just stay healthy,” he said of the team’s main goal. “We’ve got the team. We’ve got the talent. It’s a long season so we’ve just got to deal with the ebbs and flows of it. If we do that, we’ve got ourselves a chance.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres bolster rotation, sign RHP Lucas Giolito to 1-year deal
Sep 23, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Right-hander Lucas Giolito signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.
Financial terms were not disclosed by the Padres, however there is a mutual option for the 2027 season. He’ll begin his major league buildup at Single-A Lake Elsinore, per MLB.com.
The addition of Giolito comes with San Diego nursing injuries to its starting rotation, namely right-hander Nick Pivetta (right flexor strain). Joe Musgrove (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and Griffin Canning (Achilles) have yet to make their respective season debuts, and fellow right-hander Yu Darvish is on the Padres’ restricted list while he recovers from elbow surgery.
Giolito, 31, posted a 10-4 record with a 3.41 ERA in 26 appearances (all starts) last season with the Boston Red Sox.
He is 71-66 with a 4.30 ERA over 206 appearances (204 starts) with the Washington Nationals (2016), Chicago White Sox (2017-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023), Cleveland Guardians (2023) and Red Sox (2025). He was selected by the Nationals with the 16th overall pick in 2012.
San Diego transferred right-hander Bryan Hoeing (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday to make room for Giolito on the 40-man roster.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Germany F Serge Gnabry (thigh) to miss World Cup
Jul 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; FC Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry (7) warms up before a quarterfinal match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup against Paris Saint-Germain at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Germany forward Serge Gnabry confirmed on Wednesday that he will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury.
His pro club Bayern Munich announced on Saturday that Gnabry, 30, had torn the adductor muscle in his right thigh.
“The last few days have been tough to process,” he posted on Instagram. “A Bayern season which still holds much to play for after securing another Bundesliga title on the weekend.
“As for the World Cup dream with Germany … That’s sadly over for me. Like the rest of the country, I’ll be supporting the boys from home. Now it’s time to focus on recovery and getting back for pre-season.”
Gnabry recorded eight goals and six assists this season for the Bundesliga champions in 2025-26, his eighth season with Bayern Munich.
Internationally, Gnabry has scored 26 goals in 59 caps since making his debut for Germany in 2016. He started every World Cup qualifier and two friendlies in March leading up to this summer’s tournament in North America.
Germany is No. 10 in the latest FIFA world rankings. The four-time World Cup champions are in Group E along with Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Their opening match is against Curacao on June 14 in Houston.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Phillies C J.T. Realmuto heading to injured list
Mar 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) at bat against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images The slumping Philadelphia Phillies are placing catcher J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day injured list with a lower-back injury, The Athletic reported Wednesday.
Realmuto, 35, sat out two games before returning Tuesday and going 0-for-4 in a 7-4 road loss to the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia’s seventh straight defeat.
The three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove backstop is batting .259 with one home run and four RBIs through 17 games this season.
The Phillies are expected to call up catcher Garrett Stubbs from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to split time behind the plate with Rafael Marchan, per the report.
Realmuto is a lifetime .270 hitter with 181 homers and 681 RBIs in 1,390 career games with the Miami Marlins (2014-18) and Phillies (2019-26).
–Field Level Media
Padres bolster rotation, sign RHP Lucas Giolito to 1-year deal
Germany F Serge Gnabry (thigh) to miss World Cup
