Germán Márquez earned his first win with the San Diego Padres on Monday night, delivering five effective innings in a 5-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The right-hander allowed six hits, struck out four, and walked one in his second start for his new team, showcasing his resilience after struggling in his first start.
Márquez’s Journey to San Diego
At 31 years old, Márquez is working to rebuild his career with the Padres after spending his first 10 seasons with the Colorado Rockies, where he went 68-72 with a 4.67 ERA in 200 starts.
Márquez missed most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to Tommy John surgery and faced challenges in his final years with the Rockies. In 2025, he posted a disappointing 3-16 record with a 6.70 ERA in 26 starts.
Despite these struggles, San Diego signed him in February, offering him a fresh start in the team’s rotation.
Key Performance in Pittsburgh
Márquez was much sharper in his outing against the Pirates, throwing 92 pitches, with 56 strikes, and escaping several potential threats. In the second inning, he received help from Fernando Tatis Jr., who made a key throw from the outfield to prevent Ryan O’Hearn from scoring from second base on a single by Spencer Horwitz.
In the fifth inning, the Pirates had a runner on third with one out, but Márquez got Brandon Lowe to pop out and Bryan Reynolds to fly out, ending the threat and maintaining the Padres’ lead.
Márquez’s Future Outlook
While Márquez struggled in his first start with San Diego, allowing four runs and eight hits in three innings against San Francisco last week, he bounced back with this strong outing. As he continues to adjust to life with the Padres, his performance could play a key role in the team’s pitching rotation moving forward.
