The Pittsburgh Pirates head to San Diego for a Monday night matchup against the Padres at Petco Park, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET. Braxton Ashcraft gets the ball for Pittsburgh, squaring off against lefty Robbie Ray in what shapes up as an interesting pitching duel on the West Coast. With Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, and Nick Gonzales anchoring the Pirates lineup, Pittsburgh has the offensive tools to do damage — but Petco Park has a well-earned reputation for suppressing run scoring, and this Padres roster is built to make life difficult for visiting clubs.

Pittsburgh Pirates at San Diego Padres: Monday, August 24, 2026

Ashcraft draws a tough assignment. The Padres are sending out a lineup loaded with proven veterans — Manny Machado at third, Fernando Tatis Jr. leading off from right field, and Xander Bogaerts hitting sixth. That is a formidable core, and Ashcraft will need to be sharp from the first pitch. His ability to work efficiently through the lineup and avoid the big inning will be the central storyline of this game.

On the other side, Robbie Ray presents real challenges for a Pirates lineup that will need to generate traffic against a pitcher with swing-and-miss stuff. Gonzales leading off sets an interesting tone — the Pirates are leaning on his on-base ability at the top. Reynolds batting third and Cruz fourth gives Pittsburgh legitimate middle-of-the-order thunder, and if Cruz is locked in, he has the raw power to take advantage of any mistake Ray leaves over the plate, even in a spacious ballpark like Petco.

Pitching Matchup: Ashcraft vs. Ray

Ashcraft has shown flashes of the stuff that made him a highly regarded prospect, but consistency has been the measuring stick for where he stands as a major league starter. Against a disciplined Padres lineup, he cannot afford to fall behind in counts or let the middle of their order get into fastballs. Ray, a veteran left-hander, brings experience and the ability to work both sides of the plate — something the Pirates lineup will need to adjust to as the game progresses.

Keys to Watch for the Pirates

• Ashcraft's command early: Getting ahead of Tatis, Machado, and the heart of this San Diego order is non-negotiable. Free passes in Petco Park eventually hurt.
• Cruz and Reynolds producing with runners on: Pittsburgh needs its biggest bats to deliver in run-scoring situations against a quality arm like Ray.
• Spencer Horwitz on-base ability from the eight hole: Keeping pressure on the Padres pitching staff throughout the lineup — not just at the top — will be critical for the Pirates to manufacture runs.
• Bullpen readiness: If Ashcraft runs into trouble before the sixth, Pittsburgh's relief corps needs to be sharp in a late-game environment on the road.

Pittsburgh Lineup at Petco Park

• 1. Nick Gonzales, DH
• 2. Esmerlyn Valdez, RF
• 3. Bryan Reynolds, LF
• 4. Oneil Cruz, CF
• 5. Rafael Flores Jr., C
• 6. Brandon Lowe, 2B
• 7. Nick Yorke, 3B
• 8. Spencer Horwitz, 1B
• 9. Jared Triolo, SS

Prediction

This is a road game against a deep Padres lineup in a pitcher-friendly park, and that combination demands a strong outing from Ashcraft. If he can give Pittsburgh five or six quality innings and the offense finds a way to get to Ray early, the Pirates are capable of stealing this one. But the Padres have too many weapons in that lineup to take lightly. Expect a tight, low-scoring game that comes down to a late-inning sequence. Padres win, 3-2, but the Pirates keep it competitive. Catch the action on SportsNet Pittsburgh or listen in on Sports Radio 93.7 KDKA The Fan.