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Fernando Tatis Jr Moved in Padres Lineup Again vs Cardinals: How to Watch, Pitching Matchups

The Padres are looking to get back on track.
Noah Camras|
May 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) looks on as he leads off third base during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images
May 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) looks on as he leads off third base during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

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San Diego PadresSt. Louis Cardinals

The San Diego Padres are looking to get back on track after dropping the first two games of their series with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Padres lost Thursday's series opener, 2-1, in a great pitchers' duel. On Friday, the Padres were shut out, generating just one hit in an embarrassing 6-0 loss.

The Padres have a total of just five hits so far this series. The San Diego offense desperately needs to wake up, and manager Craig Stammen is doing what he can with yet another lineup change.

Padres Starting Lineup

  1. Jackson Merrill, CF
  2. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  3. Manny Machado, 3B
  4. Gavin Sheets, DH
  5. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  6. Ramón Laureano, LF
  7. Ty France, 1B
  8. Sung-Mun Song, 2B
  9. Freddy Fermin, C

Stammen is going back to Tatis in the No. 2 hole, moving Bogaerts back to the fifth spot. Laureano is hitting sixth, while France is getting the start at first base.

Miguel Andujar is getting a day off.

Padres vs Cardinals Pitching Matchup on Saturday

Right-handed pitcher Randy Vásquez is taking the mound for the Padres looking to rediscover his early season dominance.

Vásquez opened the season by allowing just two runs over his first three starts (17.2 innings). In his four starts since, he's allowed 12 runs across 21.2 innings.

Overall, Vásquez is 3-1 with a 3.20 ERA and 36 strikeouts to 13 walks. He's played a critical role in the Padres' success this season, and will look to act as a stopper yet again.

Opposite Vásquez will be Cardinals right-hander Dustin May, who's very familiar with the Padres from his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

May spent his entire career with the Dodgers before being traded ahead of last year's deadline to the Boston Red Sox. This year with the Cardinals, he's made seven starts, sporting a 5.15 ERA across 36.2 innings.

May has been better as of late, though, as he has a 2.45 ERA over his last five starts.

He's pitched 34.2 innings in his career at Petco Park, sporting a 3.38 ERA.

How to Watch Padres vs Cardinals on Saturday

First pitch for San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, May 9 is 4:15 p.m. PT/7:15 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast exclusively on FOX.

Games will be broadcast on the radio on 97.3 The Fan (in English) and XEMO 860 (in Spanish).

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Noah Camras
NOAH CAMRAS

Noah Camras graduated from the University of Southern California in 2022 with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in sports media studies. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and has extensively covered Southern California sports in his career. Noah is the publisher of Padres on SI after contributing as a writer and editor over the last three years.

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