The San Diego Padres wrap up their road trip in Miami on Sunday, July 26, when Walker Buehler takes the mound against the Marlins' Janson Junk at loanDepot park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:40 PM ET, with the game available on Padres.TV Presented by UC San Diego Health and on radio via KWFN 97.3 and XEMO 860 in Spanish. This is a meaningful mid-summer regular-season opportunity for San Diego to pick up a road win against a Miami club that has struggled to build consistent pitching depth.
Pitching Matchup: Walker Buehler vs. Janson Junk
Buehler is the clear headliner here. The veteran right-hander carries name recognition and a track record of postseason experience into this start. San Diego will want to see him work deep into the game and keep the pitch count manageable against a Marlins lineup that, while not overwhelming, is capable of grinding out at-bats and pushing pitch counts up. How Buehler commands his fastball and whether his secondary offerings are sharp will be the central story of this afternoon.
On the other side, Janson Junk gets the ball for Miami. Junk has carved out a role in the Marlins' rotation by keeping the ball in the park and working efficiently. He is not a strikeout-heavy arm, which means San Diego's offense will need to put the ball in play and make things happen on the bases. Junk is the type of pitcher the Padres should be able to navigate if the lineup stays disciplined and avoids chasing soft stuff out of the zone.
Keys to Watch for the Padres
- Buehler's command early: If he is locating his fastball at the knees and getting quick outs in the first two innings, San Diego is in strong shape. Early walks or elevated pitch counts are the warning sign to watch.
- Capitalizing against Junk: The Padres need to identify Junk's tendencies quickly and use the middle of their order to do damage. Patient at-bats that work counts will pay dividends against a pitcher who relies on contact management rather than pure stuff.
- Bullpen conservation: A full seven or eight innings from Buehler would be a luxury at this stage of the season. San Diego's relief corps has logged significant innings, so length from the starter matters.
- Baserunning aggression: loanDepot park's dimensions and a Marlins pitching staff that does not generate a ton of swing-and-miss creates opportunities to manufacture runs with smart baserunning.
Prediction
This matchup sets up favorably for San Diego on paper. Buehler against Junk is a quality-of-arm advantage the Padres should be able to leverage, particularly if the offense gets on base early and forces Junk to work from the stretch. Expect a competitive game — Miami plays hard at home — but the Padres have the edge here. San Diego wins, 4–2.
