Deadspin | Padres’ offense waking up just in time as torrid Pirates await Apr 5, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny MacHado (13) celebrates his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox with /right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images The San Diego Padres are starting to improve following a rough start to the season as they head to Pittsburgh to face the red-hot Pirates on Monday night in the opener of a three-game set. The Padres won a series for the first time this season when they beat the Red Sox in Boston in back-to-back games, including 8-6 on Sunday. San Diego’s anemic offense, which entered the day with a major-league-worst .190 batting average and .553 OPS, woke up thanks to Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Jackson Merrill, who combined for eight of the Padres’ 12 hits in the Sunday victory. The Padres will need the production to continue on Monday when they send German Marquez (0-1, 12.00 ERA) to the mound to oppose fellow right-hander Bubba Chandler (0-0, 0.00) as San Diego attempts to stop Pittsburgh’s five-game winning streak. Machado hit his first home run of the season Sunday as the Padres scored the most runs they’ve had in a game this season. It was only the second time in nine games that San Diego scored more than three runs in a contest. Both of those games have come during this stretch of three wins in four games. “Just to see Jackson go 3-for-5, Manny go 2-for-4, and Bogaerts go 3-for-3, if we get those guys moving the baseball the way they did today, we’re going to win a lot of baseball games,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said on Sunday. Marquez could use the offensive backup following a rough first start last Tuesday against San Francisco. He was pulled after three innings after allowing four runs on eight hits, including a pair of home runs, and one walk. He struck out one on 65 pitches in a 9-3 loss. Marquez has had success in his career against the Pirates, however, going 6-1 with a 1.89 ERA in seven starts. Chandler will make his sixth career start and first ever against San Diego. His first start of the season had mostly positive results with one glaring issue — walks. Chandler tossed 4 1/3 hitless innings, allowed only one unearned run and struck out six in a no-decision in an 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. But he walked six and threw 81 pitches. Chandler touched 100 mph on his fastball but wasn’t happy with his command. “I just wasn’t executing,” he said after the start. “The confidence was probably not where it needed to be. We had a great lead. My job is to go out there and three up, three down, quick innings, let our boys get back in and hit. I think as the game went on, it was more about trying to go do something, rather than just going out there and doing it.” Thanks largely to offseason acquisitions Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, and a strong offensive start by Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh has shown the power at the plate it lacked last season with 12 home runs in nine games. The Pirates also are seeing offensive production from welcome sources such as Nick Yorke, who started at third base a day after infielder Jared Triolo was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee injury. Yorke delivered the walk-off hit in Saturday’s victory over the Orioles, and had another hit on Sunday. As a corresponding move with Triolo’s IL placement, Pittsburgh recalled outfielder Billy Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Padres #offense #waking #time #torrid #Pirates #await

Apr 5, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny MacHado (13) celebrates his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox with /right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres are starting to improve following a rough start to the season as they head to Pittsburgh to face the red-hot Pirates on Monday night in the opener of a three-game set.

The Padres won a series for the first time this season when they beat the Red Sox in Boston in back-to-back games, including 8-6 on Sunday.

San Diego’s anemic offense, which entered the day with a major-league-worst .190 batting average and .553 OPS, woke up thanks to Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Jackson Merrill, who combined for eight of the Padres’ 12 hits in the Sunday victory.

The Padres will need the production to continue on Monday when they send German Marquez (0-1, 12.00 ERA) to the mound to oppose fellow right-hander Bubba Chandler (0-0, 0.00) as San Diego attempts to stop Pittsburgh’s five-game winning streak.

Machado hit his first home run of the season Sunday as the Padres scored the most runs they’ve had in a game this season. It was only the second time in nine games that San Diego scored more than three runs in a contest.

Both of those games have come during this stretch of three wins in four games.

“Just to see Jackson go 3-for-5, Manny go 2-for-4, and Bogaerts go 3-for-3, if we get those guys moving the baseball the way they did today, we’re going to win a lot of baseball games,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said on Sunday.

Marquez could use the offensive backup following a rough first start last Tuesday against San Francisco. He was pulled after three innings after allowing four runs on eight hits, including a pair of home runs, and one walk. He struck out one on 65 pitches in a 9-3 loss.

Marquez has had success in his career against the Pirates, however, going 6-1 with a 1.89 ERA in seven starts.

Chandler will make his sixth career start and first ever against San Diego.

His first start of the season had mostly positive results with one glaring issue — walks. Chandler tossed 4 1/3 hitless innings, allowed only one unearned run and struck out six in a no-decision in an 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. But he walked six and threw 81 pitches.

Chandler touched 100 mph on his fastball but wasn’t happy with his command.

“I just wasn’t executing,” he said after the start. “The confidence was probably not where it needed to be. We had a great lead. My job is to go out there and three up, three down, quick innings, let our boys get back in and hit. I think as the game went on, it was more about trying to go do something, rather than just going out there and doing it.”

Thanks largely to offseason acquisitions Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, and a strong offensive start by Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh has shown the power at the plate it lacked last season with 12 home runs in nine games.

The Pirates also are seeing offensive production from welcome sources such as Nick Yorke, who started at third base a day after infielder Jared Triolo was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee injury.

Yorke delivered the walk-off hit in Saturday’s victory over the Orioles, and had another hit on Sunday. As a corresponding move with Triolo’s IL placement, Pittsburgh recalled outfielder Billy Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis.

–Field Level Media

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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 22: Michael Malone speaks before the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on May 22, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Even with the long list of possible names rumored for the vacant UNC men’s basketball job, the program still managed to make a hire nobody expected. It is now being reported that Mike Malone, former coach of the Denver Nuggets, will become the 20th coach in the history of the program, succeeding Hubert Davis, who was fired by the Tar Heels during the NCAA tournament after their upset loss to VCU.

Malone’s key tie to UNC is through his daughter, who is a volleyball player in Chapel Hill, making this a reunion of sorts. However, the hiring has much more to do with adding some gravitas to a men’s basketball program that was limping along under Davis in both recruiting and performance, with UNC boosters and insiders growing increasingly frustrated with the program falling further and further behind Duke.

This move gives the Tar Heels some serious chops at head coach. Malone was unfairly fired by the Sacramento Kings to start his NBA tenure, before the Denver Nuggets saw potential in him as a tactician and team builder. Aided in large part by the emergence of Nikola Jokic, Malone helped lead the Nuggets to an NBA Championship in 2022-23.

The all-time winningest coach in Nuggets history, Malone was fired by the team in April of 2025 along with GM Calvin Booth, under the belief from ownership that a new coach and front office could lead to more playoff success than the feuding Booth and Malone.

A truly fascinating hire, Malone hasn’t had experience coaching college basketball since 2001 as an assistant for Manhattan. The bulk of his time has been spent in the NBA, which will lead to some fascinating recruiting challenges for the Tar Heels moving forward. Tactically and organizationally, this feels like a home run hire in a cycle where many top coaches committed to staying with their programs, even while the pitfall of Malone not having college experience is clear.

This is a new era for Tar Heel basketball, and it’s going to be fascinating to see it unfold.

#UNC #basketball #unexpected #splash #hiring #Nuggets #coach">

UNC basketball makes unexpected splash by hiring former Nuggets coach

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 22: Michael Malone speaks before the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on May 22, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Even with the long list of possible names rumored for the vacant UNC men’s basketball job, the program still managed to make a hire nobody expected. It is now being reported that Mike Malone, former coach of the Denver Nuggets, will become the 20th coach in the history of the program, succeeding Hubert Davis, who was fired by the Tar Heels during the NCAA tournament after their upset loss to VCU.

Malone’s key tie to UNC is through his daughter, who is a volleyball player in Chapel Hill, making this a reunion of sorts. However, the hiring has much more to do with adding some gravitas to a men’s basketball program that was limping along under Davis in both recruiting and performance, with UNC boosters and insiders growing increasingly frustrated with the program falling further and further behind Duke.

This move gives the Tar Heels some serious chops at head coach. Malone was unfairly fired by the Sacramento Kings to start his NBA tenure, before the Denver Nuggets saw potential in him as a tactician and team builder. Aided in large part by the emergence of Nikola Jokic, Malone helped lead the Nuggets to an NBA Championship in 2022-23.

The all-time winningest coach in Nuggets history, Malone was fired by the team in April of 2025 along with GM Calvin Booth, under the belief from ownership that a new coach and front office could lead to more playoff success than the feuding Booth and Malone.

A truly fascinating hire, Malone hasn’t had experience coaching college basketball since 2001 as an assistant for Manhattan. The bulk of his time has been spent in the NBA, which will lead to some fascinating recruiting challenges for the Tar Heels moving forward. Tactically and organizationally, this feels like a home run hire in a cycle where many top coaches committed to staying with their programs, even while the pitfall of Malone not having college experience is clear.

This is a new era for Tar Heel basketball, and it’s going to be fascinating to see it unfold.

#UNC #basketball #unexpected #splash #hiring #Nuggets #coach

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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 22: Michael Malone speaks before the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on May 22, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Even with the long list of possible names rumored for the vacant UNC men’s basketball job, the program still managed to make a hire nobody expected. It is now being reported that Mike Malone, former coach of the Denver Nuggets, will become the 20th coach in the history of the program, succeeding Hubert Davis, who was fired by the Tar Heels during the NCAA tournament after their upset loss to VCU.

Malone’s key tie to UNC is through his daughter, who is a volleyball player in Chapel Hill, making this a reunion of sorts. However, the hiring has much more to do with adding some gravitas to a men’s basketball program that was limping along under Davis in both recruiting and performance, with UNC boosters and insiders growing increasingly frustrated with the program falling further and further behind Duke.

This move gives the Tar Heels some serious chops at head coach. Malone was unfairly fired by the Sacramento Kings to start his NBA tenure, before the Denver Nuggets saw potential in him as a tactician and team builder. Aided in large part by the emergence of Nikola Jokic, Malone helped lead the Nuggets to an NBA Championship in 2022-23.

The all-time winningest coach in Nuggets history, Malone was fired by the team in April of 2025 along with GM Calvin Booth, under the belief from ownership that a new coach and front office could lead to more playoff success than the feuding Booth and Malone.

A truly fascinating hire, Malone hasn’t had experience coaching college basketball since 2001 as an assistant for Manhattan. The bulk of his time has been spent in the NBA, which will lead to some fascinating recruiting challenges for the Tar Heels moving forward. Tactically and organizationally, this feels like a home run hire in a cycle where many top coaches committed to staying with their programs, even while the pitfall of Malone not having college experience is clear.

This is a new era for Tar Heel basketball, and it’s going to be fascinating to see it unfold.

#UNC #basketball #unexpected #splash #hiring #Nuggets #coach">UNC basketball makes unexpected splash by hiring former Nuggets coach

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 22: Michael Malone speaks before the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on May 22, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Even with the long list of possible names rumored for the vacant UNC men’s basketball job, the program still managed to make a hire nobody expected. It is now being reported that Mike Malone, former coach of the Denver Nuggets, will become the 20th coach in the history of the program, succeeding Hubert Davis, who was fired by the Tar Heels during the NCAA tournament after their upset loss to VCU.

Malone’s key tie to UNC is through his daughter, who is a volleyball player in Chapel Hill, making this a reunion of sorts. However, the hiring has much more to do with adding some gravitas to a men’s basketball program that was limping along under Davis in both recruiting and performance, with UNC boosters and insiders growing increasingly frustrated with the program falling further and further behind Duke.

This move gives the Tar Heels some serious chops at head coach. Malone was unfairly fired by the Sacramento Kings to start his NBA tenure, before the Denver Nuggets saw potential in him as a tactician and team builder. Aided in large part by the emergence of Nikola Jokic, Malone helped lead the Nuggets to an NBA Championship in 2022-23.

The all-time winningest coach in Nuggets history, Malone was fired by the team in April of 2025 along with GM Calvin Booth, under the belief from ownership that a new coach and front office could lead to more playoff success than the feuding Booth and Malone.

A truly fascinating hire, Malone hasn’t had experience coaching college basketball since 2001 as an assistant for Manhattan. The bulk of his time has been spent in the NBA, which will lead to some fascinating recruiting challenges for the Tar Heels moving forward. Tactically and organizationally, this feels like a home run hire in a cycle where many top coaches committed to staying with their programs, even while the pitfall of Malone not having college experience is clear.

This is a new era for Tar Heel basketball, and it’s going to be fascinating to see it unfold.

#UNC #basketball #unexpected #splash #hiring #Nuggets #coach

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