{"id":1030211,"date":"2026-08-28T21:09:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T21:09:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1030211\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T21:09:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T21:09:19","slug":"padres-pregame-sticking-with-manny-machado-finger-to-start-rays-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1030211\/","title":{"rendered":"Padres pregame: Sticking with Manny Machado (finger) to start Rays series"},"content":{"rendered":"

The off-day on Thursday would have allowed the Padres to give Manny Machado<\/strong> and his ailing finger two days off.<\/p>\n

But Machado started at third base on Wednesday and is again in the lineup on Friday at third base to start a three-game series at the Tampa Bay Rays<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

First pitch is at 4:10 p.m. on Padres.TV.<\/p>\n

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Friday at the Trop. pic.twitter.com\/PJuALaZZNb<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The 34-year-old Machado leads the NL with 19 groundball double plays, four shy of the Rays\u2019 Junior Caminero<\/strong> for the most in the majors. Eight of those have come in August as he\u2019s hitting .211\/.317\/.256 and has just two extra-base hits this month (.573 OPS).<\/p>\n

He was worse in May (.525 OPS) before improving in June (.778 OPS) and turning in his best month in July (.922 OPS).<\/p>\n

For the season, Machado is hitting .214\/.301\/.402 for a .704 OPS that is more than 100 points below his career OPS (.816).<\/p>\n

Machado hasn\u2019t been out of the starting line since July 8 despite a finger bruise on his right index finger noticeably causing discomfort on some balls off the end of the bat on the previous homestand. He has remained in every game.<\/p>\n

With a left-hander on the mound, Luis Rengifo<\/strong> (.647 OPS) will bat second and play left field, shortstop Xander Bogaerts<\/strong> (.640 OPS) will bump up to sixth in the order, Austin Hays<\/strong> (.614 OPS) will serve as the DH and second baseman Jake Cronenworth<\/strong> (.619 OPS) will bat ninth.<\/p>\n

Freddy Fermin<\/strong> (.595 OPS) will serve as the catcher and bat eighth.<\/p>\n

With the Diamondbacks (71-64) losing on Thursday, the Padres (72-62) have a 1\u00bd-game cushion in the race for the NL\u2019s third wild-card spot.<\/p>\n

Here is how the Rays \u2014 who have the major\u2019s third-best record (79-54) \u2014 will line up to start the series:<\/p>\n

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8\/28 \u26be Rays Lineup is Out!
Provided by mlbstartingnine (@DailyMLBLineups<\/a> for link)<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcca Live Line: Rays -127 \u2022 O\/U 7.5#Rays<\/a> #RaysLineup<\/a> #MLB<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Z8SOzr7iUG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLB Daily Lineups (@DailyMLBLineups) August 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s pitching matchup<\/p>\n

Padres RHP Casey Mize (5-7, 3.44 ERA)<\/strong><\/p>\n

He\u2019s making his start on turn despite leaving his last start after 2\u2154 innings with a right ankle sprain. He has a 7.00 ERA in four starts with the Padres, but has two quality starts between a poor debut (3\u2153 IP, 8 ER) and last week\u2019s injury-shortened start (2\u2154 IP, 4 ER). Mize has a 4.50 ERA in four games (12 IP) against the Rays, the last start coming in 2025 (5 IP, 1 ER).<\/p>\n

Here is how Mize has fared against current Rays:<\/p>\n

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Rays LHP Shane McLanahan (9-6, 3.10 ERA)<\/strong><\/p>\n

His strikeout rate (8.3 per nine innings) is a career low in his first year back from Tommy John surgery. McLanahan missed roughly two weeks this month with a back injury, but he threw five shutout innings last week in his second start off the injured list. His only start against the Padres was a win in 2023 (6\u2154 IP, 1 ER).<\/p>\n

Here is how McLanahan has fared against current Padres:<\/p>\n

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