Padres pregame: Trent Grisham leading off in series finale vs. Astros

The Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., left, celebrates with Trent Grisham

Trent Grisham leading off for the Padres after Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado hit one-two the first two games against the Astros

Sept. 5, 2021 11:04 AM PT

Jose Urquidy had reverse splits and Framber Valdez was left-handed, prompting Jayce Tingler to bat Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado in the first two spots in the order to start the series against the Astros.

Luis Garcia?

The Astros’ rookie right-hander is far better against right-handed hitters (.530 OPS) than lefties (.794 OPS), leading the Padres’ second-year skipper to push Trent Grisham back into the leadoff spot and in center field for Sunday’s 1:10 p.m. start.

Grisham was 0-for-2 off the bench in Saturday’s 10-2 win – the Padres’ first double-digit effort in runs since July 17 – but was 4-for-8 with a homer over his previous two games and has a .356 on-base percentage this year in the No. 1 spot.

Grisham was out of the starting lineup on Saturday against Valdez despite reverse splits this year: an .858 OPS against southpaws (112 plate appearances) and a .750 OPS against right-handers (316 plate appearances).

Tatis and Machado combined to reached base six times on Saturday and both homered, with Tatis singling in two runs, walking twice and hitting his NL-leading 37^th homer.

Tatis, who will play right field, has a 1.225 OPS in 18 games this as a leadoff hitter and a .884 OPS in 52 games in the two-hole.

Jake Cronenworth will bat fourth as the shortstop, followed by Wil Myers in left, Eric Hosmer back in the lineup at first base, Adam Frazier at second base and Victor Caratini behind the plate for the day-after-night game.

Right-hander Chris Paddack (7-6, 4.98 ERA) allowed a run on three hits and no walks in 4 2/3 innings on Monday in his return from a month-long stay on the injured list (oblique).

Paddack, who has a 6.59 ERA in 42 1/3 innings this year at Petco Park, is making his first career appearance against the Astros and has not faced any hitter on Houston’s roster in his career.

The same is true against the Padres for the Astros’ Garcia (10-6, 3.23 ERA), a 24-year-old rookie who has struck out 150 against 39 batters in 128 1/3 innings to start the year.

Garcia has a 4.85 ERA on the road this year compared to 1.83 at home.

Here is the Astros’ lineup: