The Padres will look to keep up the hot play against the Pirates.
After sweeping the Minnesota Twins in a three-game series, the San Diego Padres are preparing to welcome the Pittsburgh Pirates to town.
San Diego has been among baseball’s better teams since the All-Star break, putting itself in a strong position to reach the postseason. However, with more than a month remaining in the regular season, there is still plenty of work left to do.
The Padres enter this series at 71-60 and currently occupy the final National League Wild Card spot. With the NL playoff race tightly packed, every game becomes increasingly important as the regular season winds down.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, arrives in San Diego after being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Pirates are 63-69 on the season but technically remain within reach of the postseason picture.
San Diego cannot afford to overlook teams such as Pittsburgh, which trails the Padres by 8.5 games in the Wild Card standings. A strong series could create more separation, while a poor showing could give the Pirates an opportunity to climb back into the race.
Padres vs Pirates Probable Pitchers
Monday, August 24: LHP Robbie Ray vs. RHP Braxton Ashcraft
The Padres will turn to Robbie Ray to start the series. The veteran left-hander is coming off a strong outing against the New York Mets, when he worked six innings and surrendered just one run on three hits.
Ray was one of San Diego’s notable additions at the trade deadline and has performed well since joining the club. Through three starts with the Padres, he owns a 4.20 ERA and has struck out 10 batters over 15 innings.
Pittsburgh will counter with Braxton Ashcraft, who has been outstanding recently. In his previous two starts, Ashcraft became just the third starting pitcher ever to record consecutive outings of at least eight innings while allowing one or fewer runs on 85 or fewer pitches.
The right-hander has posted a 3.68 ERA across 25 starts for the Pirates this season.
Tuesday, August 25: RHP Michael King vs. RHP Paul Skenes
Michael King will get the start for San Diego on Tuesday. The right-hander has enjoyed a solid month of August, posting a 3.42 ERA through four starts.
King has arguably been the Padres’ most reliable starter throughout the season and has provided consistency at the top of the rotation. Overall, the veteran owns a 3.38 ERA in 26 starts.
Paul Skenes will take the ball for Pittsburgh. The young right-hander entered the season viewed as one of baseball’s premier pitchers, but his 2026 campaign has been somewhat inconsistent.
Skenes carries a 3.95 ERA through 26 starts this season. He has struggled to work deep into games recently, failing to reach the sixth inning in each of his last four starts while allowing 12 runs over 18.1 innings.
Wednesday, August 26: RHP Randy Vásquez vs. RHP Bubba Chandler
The Padres have not officially announced their starter for the series finale, but Randy Vásquez is the likely candidate. Vásquez has pitched well lately, earning praise from manager Craig Stammen, who indicated that the right-hander has done enough to warrant a spot in the rotation.
“Kind of a man on a mission, proving that he deserves to be in the starting rotation,” Stammen said.
Vásquez is coming off a seven-inning performance against the Twins in which he allowed two runs on just two hits. He has a 4.19 ERA across 25 appearances, including 20 starts, this season.
Pittsburgh is expected to counter with hard-throwing right-hander Bubba Chandler. Chandler has recorded a 4.38 ERA over 25 appearances, including 24 starts, during the 2026 campaign.
How to Watch Padres vs Pirates August 24-26
Monday’s series opener is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PT/9:40 p.m. ET. The game will be available on Padres.TV and through the MLB app.
Tuesday’s matchup will also begin at 6:40 p.m. PT/9:40 p.m. ET, with coverage available on Padres.TV and the MLB app.
The series finale on Wednesday is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. PT/4:10 p.m. ET and will also be broadcast on Padres.TV and through the MLB app.
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