San Diego Padres

Griffin Canning

SP

Canning is nearing a return from a torn Achilles that he suffered last June while with the Mets. The right-hander inked a one-year deal with San Diego last month and could be a candidate for the Padres' rotation once healthy. Walker Buehler and German Marquez are currently occupying the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation for San Diego, but Buehler was hit hard in his first start Monday against the Giants.

Jason Adam

RP

Making rehab appearances on back-to-back days is typically the final hurdle a pitcher needs to clear before rejoining the major-league roster, so Adam appears set for activation from the 15-day injured list when first eligible April 6. The veteran reliever is getting a late start to the season following surgery last September to repair a ruptured left quadriceps tendon. Adam will work in a setup role in front of closer Mason Miller.

Joe Musgrove

SP

Musgrove threw 60 pitches in an exhibition game against Team Great Britain on March 4, but he was subsequently pulled back from throwing and hasn't tossed from a mound since. Following the setback, the right-hander underwent a precautionary MRI, but the imaging didn't show any new concerns. Considering that he hasn't pitched in a big-league game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in October of 2024, Musgrove will almost certainly need to clear multiple hurdles -- including a resumption of bullpen sessions, throwing to live hitters and taking part in a minor-league rehab stint -- before San Diego activates him off the IL. Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller suggested this week that Musgrove's target date to make his season debut remains hazy, but the Padres are still measuring the veteran hurler's timeline in terms of weeks rather than months.

Sung-Mun Song

3B

Song aggravated an oblique issue in early March and opened the season on the 10-day IL. However, the South Korean utility man seems to be doing well given that he's been able to both hit and play the field with El Paso. Song appears to be on track to be activated by mid-April, though he probably won't be an everyday player while with the big-league club.

Matt Waldron

SP

Waldron is currently on the major-league 15-day IL while he recovers from hemorrhoid surgery. The knuckleballer threw 37 pitches (25 strikes) in Friday's rehab appearance, so he seems to be progressing well. Waldron will likely serve as a long reliever out of the Padres' bullpen once he's activated.

Yu Darvish

SP

Darvish's placement on the restricted list frees up significant payroll for the Padres as they don't have to pay a salary to the veteran right-hander for as long as he's sidelined, per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. Darvish will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing UCL repair surgery on his right elbow in November, and while he has mulled over retirement, a formal decision has yet to be made by the 39-year-old.

Yuki Matsui

RP

Since straining his left groin in late February, Matsui has begun throwing off a mound and is slated to face hitters soon, but he'll still likely to remain on the shelf until at least around mid-April. Because he missed the entire Cactus League slate, he'll need to complete a rehab assignment in the minors before making his season debut with the Padres.

Bryan Hoeing

RP

Hoeing is set to miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his right elbow. He'll officially begin the season on the 15-day IL but will likely be transferred to the 60-day IL if/when the Padres need to clear a 40-man roster spot.

Will Wagner

3B

Wagner will officially begin the regular season on the injured list due to the oblique strain he suffered toward the beginning of March. It's unknown how far away he is from returning, and when he does, there's a good chance he'll be sent down to Triple-A El Paso.

Jhony Brito

RP

Brito is continuing to recover from the UCL internal brace surgery and flexor tendon repair he underwent in April of last year. He'll begin the campaign on the 60-day IL but could be able to return to game action around midseason.

Blake Hunt

C

Hunt signed a minor-league pact with San Diego in December and has been taking part in big-league camp, though he hasn't seen action in any spring games. The 28-year-old isn't on the team's 40-man roster and wasn't expected to be a serious contender for an Opening Day job even prior to suffering the injury. San Diego added fellow catcher Brendan Durfee to major-league camp to take Hunt's place.