The Padres selected Maldonado's contract from the Arizona Complex League Padres on Tuesday.
Maldonado is one of three catchers included on the team's wild-card roster, as he'll join Luis Campusano as a backup behind Freddy Fermin while Elias Diaz (oblique) recuperates. Fermin is expected to start every game during the series versus the Cubs, per Dennis Lin of The Athletic, so Maldonado is around merely as emergency depth.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Signs minor-league deal with Padres
Rotowire
Maldonado and the Padres agreed to a minor-league contract Monday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Maldonado will return to San Diego's organization after being released Aug. 6. The catcher is expected to head to the team's facility in Arizona to ramp back up before he reports to Triple-A El Paso. He could get a call-up to the majors at some point in September if the Padres lose either Freddy Fermin or Elias Diaz to an injury.
... See More... See Less
Martin Maldonado: Released by Padres
Rotowire
The Padres released Maldonado on Wednesday.
Maldonado still leads the Padres in starts at catcher this season with 56, but the club acquired Freddy Fermin at the trade deadline and elected to keep Elias Diaz around over Maldonado as the backup. The soon-to-be 39-year-old has slashed only .163/.211/.280 since the start of last season and might have trouble finding work in a new organization.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: DFA'd by Padres
Rotowire
Maldonado was designated for assignment by the Padres on Thursday.
Maldonado has served as San Diego's primary catcher for extended stretches in 2025, though he had begun to lose significant playing time to Elias Diaz since mid-July. The Padres acquired Freddy Fermin on Thursday to take the place of Maldonado and his .572 OPS.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Sitting third straight
Rotowire
Maldonado isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets.
Maldonado will retreat to the bench for the third straight game Tuesday while Elias Diaz starts behind the dish. Neither backstop has been particularly productive at the plate this season, though the Padres may be starting to favor using Diaz as their primary catcher.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Sitting again Monday
Rotowire
Maldonado is not in the Padres' starting lineup against the Mets on Monday.
Maldonado will be on the bench for a second straight game while Elias Diaz serves behind home plate and bats ninth. Maldonado hasn't been that productive at the plate this season, though he has gone 5-for-14 (.357) with three doubles and two RBI since the All-Star break.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Hitting bench Sunday
Rotowire
Maldonado is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
Maldonado and Elias Diaz have alternated starts behind the plate over the last six games. Neither backstop has been able to get much going offensively this season, with Maldonado producing a .560 OPS in 157 plate appearances and Diaz generating a .576 OPS over 218 plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Getting breather Wednesday
Rotowire
Maldonado is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.
Maldonado will get some rest for Wednesday's day game after he started behind the plate in the first two games of the series while going 2-for-6 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run. Elias Diaz will handle catching duties in the series finale.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Resting Sunday
Rotowire
Maldonado is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
After starting behind the plate in three of the Friars' previous four contests, Maldonado will get a breather for the final game before the All-Star break. Elias Diaz will step in at catcher for the Padres on Sunday.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Resting Friday
Rotowire
Maldonado is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Phillies.
Maldonado has not caught more than two games in a row this season, and after catching back-to-back games, Maldonado will yield to Elias Diaz behind the plate Friday. Maldonado has four home runs and a .512 OPS in 138 plate appearances during 2025.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Idle Tuesday
Rotowire
Maldonado is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Maldonado will get some rest after appearing in the last five games since the second game of a doubleheader July 2. In that five-game stretch, he went 2-for-11 with a walk. For Tuesday's game, Elias Diaz has the start behind the dish and is batting ninth.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Resting for early game
Rotowire
Maldonado is out of the lineup for the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader with the Phillies.
Elias Diaz will draw the start behind the dish for the first game of the day, but expect Maldonado to handle catching duties for the nightcap. Maldonado batted just .179 with two home runs, five runs and three RBI over 20 games in June, but despite his lackluster production, he still appears to be the Padres' preferred catcher.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Getting breather Sunday
Rotowire
Maldonado is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.
He'll hit the bench for the series finale after going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts while starting behind the plate in the first two contests in Cincinnati. Elias Diaz will handle catching duties for San Diego on Sunday.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Not in lineup Wednesday
Rotowire
Maldonado is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals.
Maldonado clubbed his fourth home run of the season in Tuesday's win over the Nationals, but he'll grab a seat in Wednesday's afternoon contest. Elias Diaz will start at catcher and bat ninth for the Padres.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Clubs game-tying homer
Rotowire
Maldonado went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Nationals.
Maldonado is just 3-for-16 over his last nine games, though two of those hits have gone for extra bases. The catcher helped the Padres' comeback effort with a game-tying blast in the fifth inning to finish erasing a three-run deficit. Maldonado is up to four homers, eight RBI, eight runs scored and a .189/.232/.330 slash line over 116 plate appearances in a part-time role behind the plate. He continues to see a slight edge over Elias Diaz for playing time, which has been the case for much of June.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Resting Monday
Rotowire
Maldonado is not in the Padres' starting lineup against the Nationals on Monday.
Maldonado will take a seat while Elias Diaz serves behind home plate and bats ninth. Maldonado has gone 6-for-31 (.194) with one home run, two RBI and 17 strikeouts since the beginning of June.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Sitting Wednesday
Rotowire
Maldonado is not in the Padres' starting lineup against the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Maldonado will sit after going 1-for-4 with a double across the first two games of the series. Elias Diaz will serve behind home plate and bat eighth while catching pitches from Stephen Kolek.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Martin Maldonado: Idle Sunday
Rotowire
Maldonado is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Maldonado will take a seat for the series finale after he had started behind the plate in three of the Friars' previous four games, including Saturday's 8-7 loss. Elias Diaz will form a battery with starting pitcher Nick Pivetta on Sunday.
1:54
1:49
1:09
1:24
8:58
1:12
1:22
0:38
0:51
0:52
1:33
1:08
0:56
1:37
10:13
0:51
0:50
1:28
1:33
0:58
