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Padres Notes: Friars Sign First Baseman, Veteran in DFA Territory, Trade Deadline Update

Catch up on all the latest Padres news and notes.
Gabe Smallson|
May 31, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Griffin Canning (17) prepares to throw a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
May 31, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Griffin Canning (17) prepares to throw a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

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San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon thanks to a walk-off home run from Fernando Tatis Jr. The Friars improved to 35-32 on the year in a moment that literally could have only happened at Petco Park.

What makes Tatis' second long ball of the year even more special is that according to Statcast, the 360-foot blast wouldn't have been a home run in any other park. The location, distance, weather and even wall height were a perfect combination for Tatis' moment at a time when the Padres could not have used an offensive boost more.

Ahead of the electric home win, the Friars signed a first baseman from a Triple-A team that previously cut him. In quite a serendipitous occurrence, the very team that the Padres' Triple-A affiliate (the El Paso Chihuahuas) were playing was who the former first round pick was cut by, allowing for a simple move to the opposing dugout to join his new organization.

Additionally, an MLB insider labeled a Padres right-handed pitcher at risk of getting designated for assignment as starting pitching struggles continue for the Friars. With a 6.34 ERA across his first seven starts of the year, a lot must change for the veteran, especially when players like Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta eye returns from the injured list this season.

Finally, a top insider provided a major update regarding the Padres' trade deadline plans.

President of baseball operations AJ Preller has a well-established track record of pulling off trades that a lesser POBO couldn't dream of, but the insider spoke on the new ownership potentially playing a role in this year's deadline drama. For the last few offseasons, limiting payroll has been known to be a major goal from ownership. However, with new faces at the helm, only time will tell what happens before Aug. 3.

Here’s all the latest Padres news and stories (click the headline for the full article):

Padres Sign Ex-First-Round Pick Amid Series vs Triple-A Team That Just Cut Him

Padres' $2.5 Million Pitcher Getting Dangerously Close to DFA Territory

MLB Insider Drops Major Update About Padres' Trade Deadline Plans

MLB Insider Highlights Padres 22-Year-Old as Prospect to Watch

Padres Pitching Coach Sends Clear Message on Mason Miller's Status in MLB

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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles with a focus in sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at Newsweek and Dodgers Nation. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and received his Masters of Science at the University of Southern California in 2025.

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