It is quiet. Too quiet. If you are refreshing your feed looking for the Padres score today's game, I have some news that might be a little boring at first glance: there isn't one. It’s January 18, 2026. The grass at Petco Park is probably getting some much-needed TLC, and the only "scoring" happening involves A.J. Preller huddled over a laptop trying to figure out how to squeeze one more mid-rotation starter into a budget that’s tighter than a Tatis Jr. jersey.
Honestly, being a Padres fan in January is basically a full-time job of monitoring the "transaction" wire rather than the box score. While the Dodgers are busy dropping a quarter-billion dollars on Kyle Tucker (yeah, that actually happened two days ago), San Diego is playing a much more dangerous game of financial Tetris.
The Padres Score Today's Game: A Winter Scorecard
Since there’s no baseball being played in the traditional sense, we have to look at the "off-season score." If you want to know how the team is doing right now, you have to look at the medical reports and the minor league signings.
The biggest "score" of the weekend isn't a win, but a loss. News just broke that Song Sung-mun, the versatile infielder the Padres snatched from the KBO on a four-year deal back in December, just went down with an oblique injury during batting practice. He’s out for at least four weeks.
- Injury Status: Grade 1/2 Oblique Strain.
- Timeline: 4 weeks (likely back for the start of Spring Training in Peoria).
- Impact: He’s definitely missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) camp, which sucks for Korea, but might actually be a blessing in disguise for San Diego. It means he’ll be doing his rehab under the watchful eye of the Padres' staff instead of sprinting around a stadium in Saipan.
Who is Winning the Off-season?
You've got to look at the rotation to see the real score. With Dylan Cease now in Toronto and Yu Darvish still recovering from that brutal elbow surgery, the Padres are leaning heavily on Michael King and Nick Pivetta.
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Wait, did you catch that? Pivetta. There are heavy rumors—reported by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon—that the Padres are shopping Nick Pivetta’s $20.5 million salary. Why? Because Preller is reportedly "not yet ready to move" on the free-agent market until he clears some books. Basically, the "score" right now is a stalemate. The Padres are at $220 million in estimated payroll, and they're staring at the luxury tax threshold like a cat staring at a closed door.
Understanding the January Lull
Most people think "no game means no news," but in San Diego, that's never true. While you won't find a Padres score today's game until the exhibition matches start in late February, the front office is busy signing guys you’ve never heard of to minor league deals.
Just this week, the team added a handful of arms:
- O. Cruz (RP) - Minor league deal.
- Jeferson Ogando (RHP) - International free agent flyer.
- Yoel Duarte (RHP) - Depth for El Paso.
It’s not flashy. It doesn’t sell season tickets. But after the injury bug decimated the bullpen last year, these are the moves that prevent a June collapse.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Roster
There’s this weird narrative that the Padres are "retooling" or "stepping back." Kinda. But honestly, look at the outfield. SI just ran a piece arguing that even with the Dodgers adding Kyle Tucker, the Padres might still have the best outfield in the NL West.
You’ve got Jackson Merrill coming off a monster 2025, a fully healthy Fernando Tatis Jr., and Ramon Laureano who found his power stroke late last year. That trio is elite. If the "score" is based on pure talent, San Diego is still a 90-win team on paper.
Why the Wait for Spring Training Matters
The first real Padres score today's game will happen on February 26, 2026, when they face the Mariners in Peoria. Until then, the focus stays on the "900 Inning Problem."
The Padres need roughly 850 to 900 innings from their starters to keep the bullpen from exploding by August. Currently, they have about 680 reliable innings between King, Musgrove (coming off TJ), and Vasquez. That leaves a 170-inning gap. That’s why the Pivetta trade rumors are so loud. If they can flip him for two mid-tier "innings eaters" like a Tyler Anderson or even a veteran like Justin Verlander on a one-year flyer, the math starts to work.
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Real Talk: Is the Window Closing?
Not yet. But it’s getting foggy. Manny Machado is the heartbeat of the lineup, but he’s not getting younger. The real "score" for 2026 depends on whether Joe Musgrove returns as the "Big Joe" we know or if he struggles with command post-surgery.
If you're looking for action today, head over to the Dominican Winter League or check out the latest ZiPS projections. ZiPS is surprisingly high on the Padres' bullpen, giving guys like Jeremiah Estrada and Mason Miller (who they're wisely keeping in the pen) massive credit.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
Since there is no game to watch today, here is how you can actually stay ahead of the curve before Spring Training kicks off:
- Track the 40-man Roster: Keep an eye on the non-roster invitees. Guys like Will Wagner are dark horses to make the Opening Day bench.
- Monitor the Pitching Market: If Chris Bassitt or Lucas Giolito signs elsewhere, the pressure on Preller to keep Pivetta increases.
- Check the Song Sung-mun Rehab: If his oblique doesn't heal by mid-February, expect a trade for a utility infielder.
- Set Your Calendar: Opening Day is March 26, 2026, against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park. It’s the earliest traditional start in MLB history.
The Padres are currently in the "boring" part of the year, but in a division with the Dodgers and Giants, "boring" is just the calm before the storm. Stop looking for today's score and start looking at the 2026 payroll flexibility—that's where the real game is being won.