First-year manager Craig Stammen is wasting little time getting his bench players into the starting lineup.

Facing a second left-hander in as many days, Ty France will get the start at first base over Gavin Sheets for Friday’s 6:40 p.m. start against the Detroit Tigers. Back-up catcher Luis Campusano is also in a lineup that is at least unchanged from opening day through the first five spots in the order.

Friday night lineup. pic.twitter.com/vxkA13xcnX

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 27, 2026

Left fielder Ramón Laureano will move up to the six-hole, France will bat seventh, second baseman Jake Cronenworth with bat eighth and Campusano will bat ninth.

Out of options, the 27-year-old Campusano made the team despite a quite spring (.572 OPS). He paired 25 homers with a 1.036 OPS last year in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but he was 0-for-21 with 11 strikeouts in sporadic play in the majors.

Campusano’s last hit in the majors was a single on Aug. 31, 2024.

France hit .306/.352/.510 with two homers in 54 plate appearances this spring to force his way onto the roster, although Sung-Mun Song’s oblique had something to do with it, too.

A San Diego State product, France hit .251/.313/.423 with nine homers and 34 RBIs in 89 games over parts of two seasons with the Padres before he was traded to the Mariners in the summer of 2020.

France getting the nod at first base over Nick Castellanos likely has to do with his history with left-hander Framber Valdez, as he has more experience and better results than Castellanos (see pitching matchup).

Here is how the Tigers will line up for Game 2:

Friday Night Lights. #DNMW

⚾️ 9:40 PM ET
📺 https://t.co/QiAb0jyoyO
📻 @971theticketxyt
🏟️ Petco Park pic.twitter.com/CXYwTFpV33

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 27, 2026

 

Friday’s pitching matchup

Tigers LHP Framber Valdez (13-11, 3.66 ERA in 2025)

The 32-year-old did not garner Cy Young votes last year in Houston but had in four the previous five years and signed a three-year, $115 million deal with the Tigers in February. Valdez has not won any of his four starts against the Padres (3.13 ERA, 23 IP). He allowed two runs in six innings in a no-decision last year.

Here is how Valdez has fared against current Padres:

SS Xander Bogaerts (11 ABS, 1 RBI, .364 AVG, .917 OPS)
OF Nick Castellanos (10 ABs, .100 AVG, .200 OPS)
2B Jake Cronenworth (8 ABs, .000 AVG, .000 OPS)
C Freddy Fermin (8 ABs, 1 RBI, .125 AVG, .347 OPS)
1B Ty France (25 ABs, 1 RBI, .280 AVG., .637 OPS)
OF Ramón Laureano (20 ABs, 1 RBI, .250 AVG., .668 OPS)
3B Manny Machado (8 ABs, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .250 AVG, 1.080 OPS)
OF Jackson Merrill (3 ABs, .667 AVG, 1.667 OPS)
1B Gavin Sheets (2 ABs, 1 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.000 OPS)
OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (9 ABs, 2 RBIs, .222 AVG, .808 OPS)

Padres RHP Michael King (5-3, 3.44 ERA in 2025)

He re-signed with the Padres after an injury-plagued 2025. The deal is worth $75 million if he stays all three years. He’ll make $22 million if he opts out after this season. King is coming off uneven spring in which he allowed nine home runs in 17⅔ innings (10.19 ERA). He last started against the Tigers in 2023 (4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BBs, 5 Ks).

Here is how King has fared against current Astros: