Griffin Canning Activated as Germán Márquez Heads to Injured List

The San Diego Padres made a significant roster move on Sunday morning, activating right-handed starter Griffin Canning from the injured list to take the mound in the series finale against the Chicago White Sox. This decision came as the team decided to push back right-hander Randy Vásquez, who was originally scheduled to start on Sunday, to Monday’s game in San Francisco.

In a corresponding move, the Padres placed right-handed starter Germán Márquez on the 15-day injured list due to right forearm nerve inflammation, effective retroactively from May 2. Márquez struggled in his last outing against the White Sox on Friday, allowing seven runs on five hits and five walks in just five innings. His performance raised his ERA to 5.76, highlighting a challenging stretch for the pitcher.

Canning, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury while pitching for the New York Mets last season, has been working his way back. He began the 2026 season with Triple-A El Paso, where he made five starts. In his most recent outing on Tuesday, Canning threw 62 pitches, surrendering three hits and no earned runs, along with a walk and four strikeouts. Originally expected to finish his rehab assignment with El Paso, Canning’s performance earned him a call-up to join the Padres instead.

With Márquez sidelined, Canning is expected to throw around 70-80 pitches, building on the momentum from his last start. He boasts a diverse pitching arsenal, featuring six different pitches, with his four-seam fastball and slider being particularly effective. His pitching style tends to generate ground balls, but he also possesses the ability to get batters to swing and miss.

Márquez, who joined the Padres in the offseason, has been on a difficult path to regain his pre-surgery form after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024. In his six starts for San Diego, he has a record of 3-2 and a 5.76 ERA. His pitch selection includes a knuckle curve thrown 40% of the time, complemented by a 94 mph four-seam fastball used 36% of the time, along with a sinker, slider, and changeup. Despite showing flashes of brilliance with two starts allowing no earned runs, he has also faced challenges, allowing at least four earned runs in the majority of his outings leading up to his last start.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.