Padres go for sweep against struggling Pirates

The San Diego Padres have adjusted their rotation and tabbed right-hander Stephen Kolek to make his first major league start Sunday when they attempt to sweep a three-game series against the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

Kolek, who will make his 2025 season debut, will oppose Pirates lefty Andrew Heaney (2-2, 2.50 ERA) as San Diego aims to win its fifth consecutive game and beat Pittsburgh for the ninth consecutive time dating back to last season. The Pirates have lost three in a row and six of their past seven games.

Kolek's turn allows the Padres, who shifted to a four-man rotation a week ago thanks to a pair of off days this past week, to shift back to five starters and save their top arms for an upcoming series next week against the New York Yankees.

Kolek will pitch in Nick Pivetta's turn as the latter will open a series against the Yankees in New York on Monday. Every Padres starter has been able to pitch on four days of rest just once thanks to San Diego's early-season schedule, which included six consecutive Thursdays off.

"We have been really intentional about the days off," Padres manager Mike Shildt said Saturday. "It's that balancing act of making sure we're competing, which we clearly are, and making sure we recognize it's a long year for all the guys."

Kolek appeared in 42 games as a reliever during his rookie season for the Padres and compiled a 3-0 record with a 5.21 ERA in 46 2/3 innings. He struck out 39 and walked 12 during that span. But Kolek, an 11th-round pick of the L.A. Dodgers in 2018, was a starter in the minors until the 2022 season and has made five starts at Triple-A El Paso this year.

Kolek will be backed by a Padres lineup that is starting to regain its form in recent games, although it was held to two runs and three hits Saturday. On the positive side, Fernando Tatis Jr. did not miss any games after being hit by a pitch on his left forearm Friday, causing a contusion. Tatis Jr. scored the eventual winning run in the ninth inning Saturday when he raced home on a wild pitch shortly after hitting a double and stealing third to set up the play.

Until his most recent outing, Heaney had put together one of the best starts to this season by a left-handed starter.

Heaney had compiled a 1.72 ERA over his first five starts, which ranked second among all lefty qualifying pitchers and had a 20 1/3-scoreless-inning streak snapped in his most recent outing Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs.

After retiring the first 11 batters he faced, Heaney lasted just 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks and leaving the start without recording a strikeout in a 9-0 Pirates loss.

Heaney's overall strong start coupled with the Pirates' poor start to the season has already made the 34-year-old a subject of trade rumors despite it still being early May.

"We had some good defense the first three innings, but you can't defend homers or walks, so I have to do a better job of keeping the ball in play and letting the guys make plays for me," Heaney said after his last start. "I'm not happy about it, but it's part of the game. You win some, lose some and it's not going to change what I do."

--Field Level Media