San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (27) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 15, 2025.
Phoenix, Arizona – The weekend didn’t start great for the Padres — and Sunday morning brought more bad news — but the team ended its trip to Arizona with something it desperately needed: a convincing win.
Before Sunday’s 8–2 victory over the Diamondbacks, the Padres placed breakout rookie and All-Star outfielder Jackson Merrill on the 7-day concussion IL after he took a hard tag to the head on a stolen base attempt the night before. Merrill had to leave Saturday’s game early, and while the club hopes it’s a short absence, his impact at the top of the order will be missed. In his place, the team called up Granite Hills alum Trenton Brooks, who’s been on a tear with Triple-A El Paso.
The on-field product responded the way it needed to.
Nick Pivetta turned in his best outing as a Padre, going 7.0 strong innings, striking out nine, and allowing just two hits — the only damage coming on a towering two-run homer by Eugenio Suárez. Otherwise, he was in complete control, retiring the first 12 batters he faced and continuing to look like a crucial part of this rotation going forward.
On offense, the Friars struck early and didn’t let up. Xander Bogaerts opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 4th, then watched from second as Jake Cronenworth worked a ten-pitch at-bat against D-Backs starter Merrill Kelly before unloading on a 2-run homer to right. Luis Arraez followed with an RBI double to push the lead to 4–0.
After Suárez’s homer briefly made it a game, Fernando Tatis Jr. made sure it didn’t stay that way. Tatis was electric all day — going 4-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, and three runs scored — and looks fully locked in again at the plate. His RBI double in the 7th was part of a late surge that helped San Diego bury any comeback hopes.
Elias Díaz launched a solo shot in the 9th, and Manny Machado tacked on another run with an RBI single to seal it.
The win snapped a three-game skid and sends the Padres into a pivotal four-game set in Los Angeles with a little bit of momentum. Dylan Cease gets the ball Monday night against Dodgers right-hander Ben Casparius — and with Merrill sidelined and the trade deadline looming, every game suddenly feels like a measuring stick.
