Pirates Host Padres in Home Winning Streak

San Diego and Pittsburgh open a new series as the Pirates look to extend their home success.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:03am

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The Pittsburgh Pirates, riding a three-game home winning streak, welcome the San Diego Padres to open a new series. The Pirates went 71-91 overall and 44-37 at home last season, while the Padres were 90-72 overall and 38-43 on the road. Both teams have several key players on the injured list to start the 2026 season.

Why it matters

This early-season matchup between the Pirates and Padres provides an interesting test for both teams as they look to establish themselves in the standings. The Pirates are hoping to build on their home success from last year, while the Padres will try to overcome their road struggles. Injuries to key players on both sides could also play a factor in the outcome.

The details

The Pirates will send rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler to the mound, who has yet to record a decision but has a 0.00 ERA and 1.39 WHIP through his first two starts. The Padres counter with German Marquez, who is 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA so far this season. Both teams have several players on the injured list, including the Pirates' Jared Triolo and Jared Jones, and the Padres' Bryan Hoeing, Jason Adam, Yuki Matsui, Matt Waldron, Joe Musgrove, Griffin Canning, Will Wagner, Sung-Mun Song, and Jhony Brito.

  • The game is scheduled for Monday, April 6, 2026 at 6:40 p.m. EDT.
  • The Pirates enter the game on a three-game home winning streak.

The players

Bubba Chandler

A rookie right-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who has yet to record a decision but has a 0.00 ERA and 1.39 WHIP through his first two starts.

German Marquez

The starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres, who is 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA so far this season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The home team, who went 71-91 overall and 44-37 at home last season.

San Diego Padres

The visiting team, who were 90-72 overall and 38-43 on the road a season ago.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to get back home and try to build on the success we had here last year. It's going to be a tough test against a good Padres team, but we're ready for the challenge.”

— Ben Cherington, Pirates General Manager

What’s next

The winner of this series opener will look to carry that momentum into the rest of the three-game set, which continues on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The takeaway

This early-season matchup between the Pirates and Padres provides an intriguing test for both teams as they look to establish themselves in the standings and overcome key injuries to start the 2026 season. The Pirates' home success last year and the Padres' road struggles could play a factor, making this an important series for both clubs.