RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesAug 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) flips his bat after hitting a three-run home run during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Petco Park.
SAN DIEGO - This is the San Diego Padres (62-57) team that most players and coaches have been waiting for and talking about all season.
Not only did they beat the Astros on Sunday 7-2 to take the three game series but it was one of the most complete games they've had all season and they've continued to stay red hot during their 14-9 stretch since the All-Star break and have won four of the last seven series.
There are still 43 games left on the schedule but if the Padres continue this type of play, they'll not only clinch a playoff spot, but there is a chance they could be a dark house team to make a run in October.
And taking on a team that is also turning it around at the right time (13-5 since July 20), it shows that they've turned a corner and are finally meeting their standards as a team that believes that they could make a run.
"It was a pretty good game for us," Padres manager Craig Stammen said. "We've played a lot of games here lately that resembled that. That was probably the best version of that... Hopefully, it carries on as we keep going."
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Both teams started trading runs early on in the second inning. After Taylor Trammell's single, center fielder Daulton Varsho sends Randy Vásquez (8-6, 4.16 ERA) eighth pitch of the at-bat out to right center field for his eighth homer of the season.
Continuing to stay hot, Jackson Merrill cut the deficit in half nine pitches later with his 18th home run of the season off Cristain Javier (1-3, 6.68 ERA) . The Padres put two runners on base but were left stranded after Fernando Tatis Jr. flew out to center.
Merrill Madness is a real thing. pic.twitter.com/BNad0LXXj3
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 10, 2026
Since July 18, Merrill is tied with CJ Abrams for the most homers in the league and he has scored a run in six consecutive games.
Generally, the Padres have not hit a lot of home runs with runners on base this season, but having already failed to do so back in the second inning, Tatis Jr. needed a swing to get his team back in the game.
Following a pair of singles by Luis Rengifo and Freddy Fermin earlier in the fourth, Tatis Jr. got ahold of a low changeup from Javier and blasted it 421 ft out to left field for his 11th home run of the season and to give San Diego a 4-2 lead.
Three, two, one, blast off. pic.twitter.com/LmlzOeFvgl
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 10, 2026
After labeling the ball 110 mph off his bat, he stood there at the plate and admired the moment that he is historically so used to creating.
"Amazing, beautiful," Tatis said. "That's what you dream of when you're a kid."
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Gavin Sheets, who hasn't homered since June 30, barreled home a four-seam fastball out to right field to extend the lead to 5-2 after his solo shot off reliever AJ Blubaugh.
What's even crazier is that outfielder Austin Hays, who literally signed the afternoon before the game, pinch hit for Sheets in the eighth and displayed his veteran abilities by hitting a two-run homer out to left field.
Welcome to San Diego, Austin! pic.twitter.com/YQ7mxwiNqo
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 10, 2026
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Despite the short turn around from signing onto the roster, Stammen said Hays was expecting to play before the game.
""We had kind of prepped him soon as he got here," Stammen said. "First guy I talked to when I walked in this morning and said 'Hey, you know, they bring a lefty in, you're going to be pinch hitting for one our lefty hitters and be ready for that as the week goes,'... That's kind of the spot, you know, he's on the roster for that opportunity. And when they bring a left in, and we got some of our lefties up that would rather have righty hitting, he can be someone with some good pop off the bench and take a good at-bat."
From the Padres perspective, everything is clicking; even their pitching.
Last night Michael King allowed one earned run on three hits through six innings. Vásquez delivered in a big spot for San Diego, tossing another gem and has continued to improve over his last four starts.
Vásquez was replaced before the start of the sixth inning after throwing 62 pitches (41 counted for strikes). In five innings of work, Vásquez allowed two earned runs on two hits, no walks and a strikeout, and he ended his night retiring 10 batters in-a-row.
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Left-hander Kyle Hart entered the game and threw a seven pitch shutout inning. Bradgley Rodriguez replicated Hart's efficient inning with his own seven pitch frame in the seventh and a 10 pitch shutout in the eighth.
Relievers Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller had a very deserved day off after pitching in two of the last three games. The Padres turned to Jeremiah Estrad...
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