First thing’s first: Fernando Tatis Jr. is the lineup for Friday’s 6:40 p.m. first pitch (Apple TV+) following Thursday’s scare.
His manager, however, is not available for the start of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals and the Padres’ closer figures to be MIA before long.
Robert Suarez is appealing Major League Baseball’s decision to suspend him three games for hitting Shohei Ohtani with a pitch in the ninth inning Thursday. Padres manager Mike Shildt was suspended one game and will serve that ban on Friday, making bench coach Brian Esposito the active manager.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was also suspended one game and will begin serving his suspension on Friday in Los Angeles.
Suarez, Shildt and Roberts — all of whom were ejected on Thursday — were also fined undisclosed amounts.
Esposito was also ejected after Suarez hit Ohtani with a pitch, as is standard for managers when umpires deemed a hit batter was intentional after warnings had been issued, but Esposito was not included in Friday’s disciplinary action.
Tatis exited after he was hit by a pitch from rookie Jack Little in the ninth inning of a 5-0 game. It was the third time he’d been hit in the seven games this year against the Dodgers, something that was top of mind when Shildt confronted the Dodgers’ dugout — and ultimately Roberts — while trainers tended to Tatis at home plate.
Tatis’ right wrist was not wrapped in anyway upon arriving at the Padres clubhouse at 3:45 p.m. He went directly to the training room instead of talking with reporters who’d been waiting by his locker.
About 45 minutes later, Shildt said “the candle worked, man,” in reference to Manny Machado telling the Dodgers to pray the pitch off Tatis’ wrist did not seriously hurt their right fielder.
Shildt added: “You know, he’s sore. Very thankful and grateful that no fractures or anything that showed up on any imaging. He’s had multiple imaging come back and got in today and he’s sore but he said he wants to go complete.”
Today’s #Padres lineup pic.twitter.com/8SVkLnnq0i
— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) June 21, 2025
Here is how the Royals will line up for Game 1:
West Coast weekend starts now. pic.twitter.com/dX4tTzwTcN
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) June 20, 2025
Friday’s pitching matchup
Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (4-7, 4.91 ERA)
The 33-year-old Cal State Fullerton alum has already allowed 14 homers in 77 innings, six shy of his career-high. He’s thrown back-to-back quality starts but still has a 6.82 ERA over his last six starts. Lorenzen has a 6.12 ERA in 15 games (three starts) against the Padres, the last in 2023 (6 IP, 6 ER).
Here is how Lorenzen has fared against current Padres:
Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (7-2, 3.40 ERA)
He’s coming off nine strikeouts over seven innings of two-run ball on Sunday in Arizona. Pivetta has a 2.40 ERA in seven starts so far at Petco Park. Pivetta has a 5.93 ERA in six games (five starts) against the Royals. He last faced them in 2023, allowing three runs over eight innings across two appearances (13 strikeouts, two walks).
Here is how Pivetta has fared against current Royals:
