Padres Announce Starting Pitchers for Critical Series vs Rival Diamondbacks

The San Diego Padres were able to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the team grabbing the final game of the series.

The Padres have been in a free fall of late, losing eight of their last nine games overall. San Diego is now set to begin a massive series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, with second place in the National League West on the line.

Both teams come into this matchup with a record of 44-45, giving each side a chance to make a statement in this series. Arizona lost its last series to the Milwaukee Brewers, dropping two of three games to the NL Central squad.

This will be the second time these teams have played this year, with it being the first at a home ballpark. The Padres and Diamondbacks played a two-game series in Mexico City in April, with each team taking a win.

Padres vs Diamondbacks Pitching Probables

Monday, July 6: RHP Walker Buehler vs RHP Brandon Pfaadt

Buehler gets the ball to open this crucial series, and he will be looking to bounce back from his last start. The right-hander was shelled by the Chicago Cubs, allowing nine runs on nine hits over four innings.

Before this performance, Buehler had turned things around with a dominant stretch of play, showcasing his old All-Star-caliber self. Overall, the veteran owns an ERA of 4.61 over 82 innings this season.

Going opposite of Buehler will be Pfaadt, who has been fairly up and down this season. On the year, the right-hander has recorded an ERA of 5.40 over 43.1 innings.

Tuesday, July 7: TBA (likely RHP Jhony Brito) vs RHP Zac Gallen

Brito could be getting the spot start for the Padres in the second game, which would be his season debut. The veteran just completed his rehab assignment after missing last season due to a UCL brace and flexor tendon surgery.

The right-hander had been scheduled to start in Triple-A over the weekend, but the team ended up cancelling his outing. It seems as if he could be making his debut with the Padres against the Diamondbacks after posting an ERA of 0.96 over four starts in Triple-A.

FYI

Jhony Brito was Saturday's scheduled starter in El Paso, but he did not start. Instead, RHP Eric Yost was called up from San Antonio to make the start.

So it does not appear to have been a last-minute scratch.

Brito last pitched on June 27. https://t.co/QDnSIH8lvB
— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) July 5, 2026

Gallen will face the Padres in this game, with the former ace having a poor 2026 season. The former All-Star has struggled, putting up an ERA of 6.36 over 92 innings on the year.

Wednesday, July 8: RHP Michael King vs RHP Jose Cabrera

King takes the ball for the Padres in the third game, and he'll look to put together another strong outing. Against the Dodgers over the weekend, King was electric, allowing two runs over six innings.

Unfortunately for him, Los Angeles was able to come back to win the game after he was removed, but it was a good sign to see him get going on the mound. On the year, King has an ERA of 3.52 over 102.1 innings of work.

The Padres will face off against Cabrera on Wednesday, and he will be making the fourth start of his MLB career. The young right-hander has done decently for the Diamondbacks this year, sporting an ERA of 4.73.

Thursday, July 9: RHP Griffin Canning vs RHP Merrill Kelly

The Padres will turn to Canning in the finale, and this could be a spot where the team uses an opener. San Diego has elected to use an opener in various situations, with one in his last outing against the Dodgers.

Canning was excellent against the Dodgers, going four innings and allowing only one run on two hits. Having him enter the game after an opener may be the secret to success for the right-hander after a troubling year so far.

Kelly will throw against Canning, and he has an ERA of 5.71 over 86.2 innings this year. In his last start, he allowed two runs over five innings against the Brewers.

How to Watch Padres vs Diamondbacks July 6-July 9

First pitch for Monday's series opener is 6:40 p.m. PT/9:40 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Padres.TV, DBACKS.TV and FS1.

First pitch for Tuesday's game is 6:40 p.m. PT/9:40 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Padres.TV, DBACKS.TV and in the MLB app.

First pitch for Wednesday's game is 7:10 p.m. PT/10:10 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and in the ESPN App.

First pitch for Thursday's series finale is 6:40 p.m. PT/9:40 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Padres.TV, DBACKS.TV and in the MLB app.

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