The San Diego Padres head to loanDepot park in Miami for a 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch on Saturday, July 25, 2026, with left-hander JP Sears getting the start against Marlins right-hander Eury Pérez. This is a mid-July regular-season contest with real standings implications, and the Padres will need a strong road performance to come away with a win against a Miami club that will be leaning on one of the more intriguing young arms in the National League.

Starting Pitchers: JP Sears vs. Eury Pérez

JP Sears gets the ball for San Diego. The left-hander has carved out a role in this rotation by working efficiently and keeping the ball on the ground, and a road start in a hitter-friendly environment like loanDepot park will test his ability to limit hard contact. He will need to command both sides of the plate early and keep Miami's lineup off-balance if the Padres are going to manufacture an early lead.

On the other side, Eury Pérez is a name Padres fans should take seriously. The young Marlins right-hander has the kind of raw, electric stuff that can make any lineup look overmatched on a given day. San Diego's offense will need to work counts, be patient early, and find ways to get into the Miami bullpen before the game slips away.

Miami Marlins Starting Lineup

• Otto Lopez, SS
• Kyle Stowers, 1B
• Heriberto Hernández, LF
• Xavier Edwards, 2B
• Liam Hicks, C
• Javier Sanoja, 3B
• Griffin Conine, DH
• Esteury Ruiz, RF
• Jakob Marsee, CF

The Padres lineup has not been released at publication time. San Diego's offensive approach will be worth watching regardless of lineup construction — the club's ability to string together at-bats against a pitcher like Pérez will go a long way toward deciding how this one plays out.

Keys to Watch for San Diego

Make Pérez Work Early

Eury Pérez can be dominant when he's locked in, but working deep into counts and fouling off pitches forces pitch counts up and opens the door to the Miami bullpen. The Padres need to resist the urge to chase and make him earn every out.

Sears and the Long Ball

loanDepot park can play as a hitter-friendly venue, and Sears will need to be disciplined with his pitch location. Leaving anything elevated or over the middle against a Miami lineup that includes legitimate power threats could turn a close game in a hurry.

Road Discipline

San Diego is on the road, and road trips in July are where good teams separate themselves. Staying sharp, avoiding mental errors, and executing in close situations will matter as much as raw production in this one.

Prediction

This shapes up as a pitcher's duel with real potential for a low-scoring game. Sears is capable of giving San Diego five or six quality innings, and if the Padres offense can grind out a couple of runs early against Pérez, this game is very much winnable. Call it a narrow Padres win, 3–2, with the bullpen closing it out late. San Diego takes one on the road.