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Padres Lineup vs Rockies: Gavin Sheets Out, Ty France Starting

The Padres are looking to win another series.
Noah Camras|
Apr 16, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres designated hitter Gavin Sheets (30) celebrates after hitting a double during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images
Apr 16, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres designated hitter Gavin Sheets (30) celebrates after hitting a double during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images

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San Diego PadresColorado Rockies

The San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies split the first two games of this week's series, setting up a rubber match on Thursday afternoon.

The Padres are 5-1 against the Rockies overall this season, but will look to win their sixth consecutive series by taking Thursday's game.

Padres vs Rockies Pitching Matchup on Thursday

Right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron is taking the mound for the Padres, looking for a much better start in his second outing of 2026.

Waldron, who opened the year on the injured list after undergoing hemorrhoid surgery, lasted just 3.2 innings in his 2026 debut against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing six earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.

Waldron needs to put together a solid outing as Griffin Canning is nearing a return and new Padres starter Lucas Giolito is likely going to join the team soon thereafter.

If Waldron wants to stick around with the Padres this season, every start going forward matters.

It won't be easy for Waldron on Thursday at the hitter-friendly Coors Field. Waldron has made two starts there in his career, allowing eight runs over 11.2 innings for a 6.17 ERA.

As for the Rockies, right-handed pitcher Ryan Feltner is taking the mound for his fifth start of the season. Feltner has struggled this season to the tune of a 6.00 ERA over 18 innings of work.

He pitched against the Padres less than two weeks ago, allowing six runs on seven hits while lasting just four innings.

Padres Starting Lineup

  1. Ramón Laureano, LF
  2. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  3. Jackson Merrill, CF
  4. Manny Machado, 3B
  5. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  6. Miguel Andujar, DH
  7. Ty France, 1B
  8. Freddy Fermin, C
  9. Jake Cronenworth, 2B

Gavin Sheets is out of the lineup with Andujar getting a start at designated hitter. Moreover, France is starting at first base with Nick Castellanos on the bench.

How to Watch Padres vs Rockies on Thursday

First pitch for San Diego Padres vs. Colorado Rockies on Thursday, April 23 is 12:10 p.m. PT/3:10 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Padres.TV and in the MLB app.

The Padres announced that games will also be available via cable on the following channels:

  • Cox (Channel 83)
  • DirecTV (Channel 694-3)
  • AT&T Uverse (Channel 781 or 1781)
  • Spectrum (Channel 305 or 443)

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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