Stephen Kolek optioned, Michael King set for rehab start

Right-hander Stephen Kolek was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday, clearing the way for right-hander Ryan Bergert to start for the Padres against the New York Mets.

First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. on Padres.TV.

Kolek allowed five runs in 11⅔ innings in two starts on the road trip. He is being replaced in the rotation by Bergert.

At least for now.

Right-hander Michael King is ticketed for a rehab assignment on Saturday or Sunday, perhaps with Triple-A El Paso, following Monday’s 40-pitch sim game.

Then again, Dylan Cease continues to draw trade interest and could be moved before Thursday’s deadline. He exited Monday’s start after 4⅔ innings (5 ER) after giving up a grand slam. He was also hit on the back of the head by a comebacker in the start, but said he was feeling good while passing through the clubhouse Tuesday afternoon.

All imaging has come back negative.

“Outside of the feeling of getting hit in the head and the discomfort there,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said Tuesday, “but anything as far as any swelling or bleeding has been eliminated, which is clearly good.”

Bergert (1-0, 2.84 ERA) is making his first start in the majors since July 11, returning to give both Yu darvish (0-3, 9.18 ERA) and Nick Pivetta (10-3, 2.81 ERA) an extra day off following the 10-game road trip. Bergert allowed two runs in 4⅔ innings in his last big-league start and made one start for Triple-A El Paso on July 22 (4 IP, 2 ER) in the interim.

This will be his first appearance against the Mets.

Monday’s win moved the Padres (58-49) a full two games ahead of the Reds (56-51) in the race for the NL’s last wild-card spot and closed the gap on the Phillies (60-46), the current No. 2 wild-card team, to 2½ games.

With a left-hander on the mound for the Mets, Jose Iglesias will man third base, Manny Machado will get a DH day and Gavin Sheets will start on the bench as the Padres keep Bryce Johnson in left field.

Let’s run it back. pic.twitter.com/kogdf3LdYg

– San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 29, 2025

Sheets is hitting .105/.190/.105 in 10 games since the All-Star break and has a .656 OPS against lefties, compared to .750 vs. righties.

Johnson is hitting .366/.395/.439 in 45 plate appearances since joining the Padres, is hitting .333/.368/.389 in 21 plate appearances against left-handers and has six hits in his last 10 plate appearances.

Mets left-hander Rome Petson (1-1, 2.19 ERA) is making his third appearance since returning from the elbow/oblique injuries that shelved him until mid-July. Manaea hasn’t allowed more than a run in any appearance, has 18 strikeouts against four walks in 12⅓ innings and has progressed from 3⅓ innings in relief to four and then five innings in starts. He threw 82 pitches in his last start. Manaea has a 3.63 ERA in 39⅔ innings against the Padres. He beat them with one run in five innings last year.

Here is how Manaea has fared against current Padres:

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

Tonight’s lineup! ⚾ #LGM pic.twitter.com/rrjGewDBv2

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 29, 2025

Originally Published: July 29, 2025 at 4:00 PM PDT