Padres to Activate Five-Time All-Star vs Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks will ask their former ace to open a difficult series with the Padres.

Feb 19, 2025; Peoria, AZ, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish poses for a portrait during Media Day at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks are coming off a brutal homestand, going just 3-7 over their last 10 games and dropping two of three to the Kansas City Royals. On Monday, they'll head to San Diego to open a tough three-game set with their NL West rival Padres.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Diego Padres Pitching Matchup

RHP Yu Darvish (0.00 ERA) vs RHP Zac Gallen (5.45 ERA)

The Padres will activate veteran right-hander Yu Darvish for his first start of the 2025 season on Monday.

The 38-year-old righty from Japan has gone through a rough patch of both injuries and personal issues in 2024 and 2025. He pitched just 16 starts a year ago, and has spent the entire first half of 2025 down on the IL with right elbow inflammation.

He made one rehab start in Triple-A, going four innings and allowing two runs.

Darvish was an effective arm in the short period he pitched in 2024. He recorded a 3.31 ERA over 81.2 innings. He has a career 3.58 ERA and five All-Star appearances over 12 major league seasons.

Darvish's deep arsenal has been one of his strengths. He throws an eight-pitch mix, with his slider and mid-90s four-seam leading the charge. Darvish also throws a sinker, sweeper, split-finger, two different curveballs and a cutter. Good luck.

With such a lengthy downtime, Darvish's outlook for Monday's game is anyone's guess. He may come in and baffle Arizona's lineup, or look like a shell of himself.

In any case, the Diamondbacks would do well to avoid handing him quick, early outs.

Meanwhile, Zac Gallen's struggles have been persistent, but the former ace did put together one of his best starts of the season his last time out against the Giants, allowing one run over seven strong innings while striking out 10.

Gallen's fastball looked more like his fastball of old. He was able to land it for strikes and induce whiffs, while setting up his secondary pitches to put batters away.

If Gallen is able to replicate that success, he'll likely deliver an excellent start. But the good outings have been few and far between this season. He's given up the fourth-most homers (20) among qualified starters, and has issued nearly four walks per nine innings.

Gallen walked four over 6.1 innings the last time he saw San Diego, giving up four runs in the process. Initially slated to start Sunday, the D-backs opted to push Gallen back a day to Monday for an extra day's rest.

Diamondbacks vs Padres Lineups

Lineup Update:

RF - Carroll
SS - Perdomo
DH - Gurriel Jr.
1B - Naylor
3B - Suárez
LF - McCarthy
C - McCann
CF - Thomas
2B - Alexander
SP - Gallen

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 8, 2025

Ketel Marte was a late scratch from the lineup Monday. As of this writing, no reason was provided. Diamondbacks On SI will continue to report the latest.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is the DH for this game while the D-backs go with an all left-hand hitting outfield. The bench bats are Randal Grichuk and Tristin English, both right-handed hitters.

Pavin Smith was placed on the IL Sunday with an oblique strain. All four Padres starters this week are right-handed.

Diamondbacks vs Padres Bullpens

The Diamondbacks only needed to use three pitchers to get through their finale with the Royals on Sunday — right-handers Anthony DeSclafani and Bryce Jarvis and lefty Jalen Beeks. Beeks only threw 10 pitches.

Ryan Thompson was just placed on the IL with a scapular strain, but Arizona's diminishing group of leverage arms should otherwise be available.

The Padres threw a bullpen game Sunday, using six relievers in total, including all three back-end arms. Closer Robert Suárez threw 12 pitches for the save. Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada each pitched as well.