Skip to main content
Inside The Padres

Padres Notes: SD Officially Releases Catcher, Wild-Card Update, Ethan Salas on Postseason Roster?

Catch up on all the latest Padres news and notes.
Gabe Smallson|
Sep 5, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas (8) walks to the mound during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images
Sep 5, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas (8) walks to the mound during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In this story:

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres officially released a 27-year-old catcher from the organization who previously made his MLB debut with the team this past June behind the plate. Though he was hitless in just three plate appearances, he was hitting .301 in 42 Triple-A outings with 11 home runs and a .997 OPS.

In other news, the Friars currently have a half-game lead for the final wild-card spot in the National League.

Now, the Padres have an upcoming series against the San Francisco Giants that will mark a revenge game for southpaw Robbie Ray. Moreover, it's the beginning of the Padres having the sixth-easiest remaining schedule in MLB, while the Arizona Diamondbacks have the ninth-easiest slate ahead of them.

Finally, manager Craig Stammen hinted at rookie catcher Ethan Salas potentially making the postseason roster, regardless of his five strikeouts in just 12 at-bats as a pro.

“We’re looking for Ethan to get some playing time,” Stammen said. “We think he’s a really good player, and he can help us down the stretch and hopefully into the playoffs."

Salas is still searching for his first big league hit just five games into his MLB career, but recently spoke about his intangibles that keep him as a productive piece of the puzzle, even if his bat is not up to usual standards.

“My defense … it never goes away for me,” Salas said. “Whether I’m hitting or not, it’s our job as catchers to be dialed in back there and 100% locked in. So I think that’s something that always, always goes with me everywhere. The hitting will come along."

The usual standards in question include a Double-A batting average of .286 across 72 games this season with seven home runs and 37 RBIs. In just 24 games at the Triple-A level before his promotion, Salas was absolutely raking with a .326/.410/.539 slash line and an OPS of .949.

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

Padres Officially Release 27-Year-Old Catcher From Organization

Padres Announce Starting Pitchers for Must-Win Series vs Giants, Including Robbie Ray Revenge

Padres Manager Hints at Ethan Salas Making Postseason Roster

Padres Sign 8-Year Veteran Pitcher Who They Once Traded Away

Padres Could Add All-Star to Bullpen Before End of Season

Padres' Failed Bid for All-Star Outfielder Suddenly Looks Like Blessing in Disguise

Padres Tweets of the Day

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X/Twitter for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
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.

Share on XFollow gabesmallson
Home/San Diego Padres News