​The San Diego Padres are aiming to avoid dropping the series to the Toronto Blue Jays after a 5-3 defeat in the opener on Friday. San Diego jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when shortstop Xander Bogaerts belted his ninth homer of the season, a 401-foot shot to left-center. Despite the early advantage, the Padres did not plate another run until the ninth inning.
Left-hander JP Sears initially silenced Toronto through three innings but ran into trouble in the fourth, giving up an RBI double to catcher Alejandro Kirk before escaping a jam with runners on second and third. The Blue Jays surged ahead in the fifth, as first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached on an RBI infield single that ignited a three-run homer by third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, his 22nd of the rookie campaign. Sears took the loss after permitting three of the five runs on six hits and one walk, while striking out three across 4.1 innings.
Right-hander Shane Bieber made his fourth start of the season, working 4.2 innings and allowing the two runs on six hits and three walks, with four strikeouts. Reliever Mason Fluharty earned the win, recording just one out—a punchout to end the fifth. Center fielder Jackson Merrill, a member of the Padres’ beleaguered core, delivered an RBI single against one of baseball’s elite closers, but Louis Varland slammed the door for the save with runners aboard.
The Padres have weathered a challenging stretch in the first half of the season after impressing earlier in April and May. Capturing the final two wins to reach .500 ahead of the All-Star break would be a major boost, and doing so would begin with a win on Saturday. San Diego will hand the ball to right-hander Walker Buehler, who is scheduled to face rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage.
Buehler has been among the Padres’ most dependable starters until his recent rough patch, becoming the first pitcher this season to allow 16 earned runs over a two-start span, according to Talkin’ Baseball. His current line stands at 5-5 with a 5.07 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, and 80 strikeouts against 31 walks over 18 starts (87 innings). Yesavage has continued to impress since his brief Major League debut in 2025, posting a 4-4 record with a 3.31 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 68 strikeouts to 32 walks through 13 starts (73.1 innings) this year. In his most recent outing, he faced the Seattle Mariners, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks while recording seven strikeouts.
First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. PDT, and viewers can catch the action on MLB.TV and regional sports networks. This matchup will carry importance for both clubs as they look to tighten their positioning as the All-Star break approaches. For Padres fans, the hope is that a strong performance in Saturday’s game can spark a turnaround and keep hopes alive for a successful final stretch before the break.