Merrill, Cronenworth Out as Padres Host White Sox — White Sox Vs Padres
Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth were out of the Padres lineup Friday in white sox vs padres, leaving San Diego to open its three-game series against Chicago with a different look. The move came against a White Sox team that had won seven of its last 10 and swept the Angels before arriving in San Diego.
Márquez and Schultz Match Up
Germán Márquez started for San Diego against rookie left-hander Noah Schultz, a matchup that helped shape the Padres’ lineup decisions. With the left-hander on the mound, Andujar moved up to the No. 3 hole, while France and Castellanos got starts and Gavin Sheets went to the bench.
Schultz made his MLB debut in mid-April against the Tampa Bay Rays and brought a 3.52 ERA into the game across three starts. He had struck out 18 and walked nine over 15.1 innings, giving Chicago a young arm that has already been asked to work in meaningful spots.
Padres Need Cleaner Starts
The Padres entered May at 19-11, but the record has come with warning signs. They were coming off a disappointing series loss to the Cubs, and earlier in April they had outperformed expectations even as the top of the lineup and the starting rotation drew questions.
Márquez has been part of that rotation mix. In his first, third, and fifth starts of the season, he allowed four earned runs apiece. In his second and fourth starts, he worked a combined 10.2 scoreless innings.
That split leaves him pitching for his spot with Griffin Canning and Lucas Giolito nearing their 2026 debuts. For San Diego, the lineup changes and the rotation picture now point to the same issue: getting steadier production in a series that began with a left-handed starter on the other side.
The White Sox arrived at 14-17, but their recent surge gave the opener more edge than the records suggested. Chicago had just swept the Angels across three games, and Friday’s lineup told the rest of the story from the Padres side: San Diego was willing to sit Merrill and Cronenworth to adjust for the matchup.
