Padres Down on the Farm: June 9 (Burkett K’s 4/Verdugo keeps hitting in DSL)

Credit: Phrake Photography

Padres affiliates went 0-2 on Monday.
Here is a recap of the games played, with footnotes for teams on off days.
El Paso Chihuahuas – Off Day
El Paso opens a six-game series in Round Rock against the Express (Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate). Matt Waldron is in line to start for El Paso.
San Antonio Missions – Off Day
The Missions open a six-game series on the road against the Amarillo Sod Poodles. Jagger Haynes is in line to start for San Antonio. The Missions will also have reinforcements in their bullpen, as right-hander Tyson Neighbors has reportedly been promoted to Double-A San Antonio and will likely be with the team in Amarillo.
The San Diego Padres are promoting RHP Tyson Neighbors to San Antonio (Double-A).
Neighbors had a 1.19 ERA along with 39 strikeouts in 22.2 innings for the Fort Wayne TinCaps.#Padres
— Chase Ford (@_chaseford) June 9, 2025
Fort Wayne TinCaps – Off Day
The TinCaps open a home series against the South Bend Cubs on Tuesday. The team will likely make a roster move or two, as right-hander Tyson Neighbors will be joining the Missions (Double-A).
Lake Elsinore Storm – Off Day
The Storm open a six-game series at home against Visalia (Arizona’s Single-A affiliate). The Storm’s pitching staff will not need to worry about facing Arizona’s 2024 first-rounder Slade Caldwell, who was promoted to High-A. The Storm will likely see a roster move with the TinCaps down a roster spot.
ACL Padres (Lost 12-5 vs ACL Giants) (7-20 on the season)
Yimy Tovar – 2-for-4, Three-Run Home Run
Kale Fountain – 2-for-4, RBI Double
Langston Burkett – 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 4 K
Right-hander Langston Burkett made his strongest start of the season, tossing four innings of three-run ball, all three runs unearned. Burkett struck out four batters while walking just two, aided in part by a second-inning double play. Dariel Polanco and Darlin Mendez each allowed four runs, and Tanner Smith struck out three in 1.1 innings of work.
Kale Fountain had an RBI double as part of a two-hit day for the Padres. Jesmaylin Arias doubled in a run as well on his fourth double of the season. Luis De Leon had two singles and reached base three times in the game. Yoiber Ocopio allowed a passed ball that led to a run, but at the plate had a solid day, finishing 2-for-4 with a three-run home run.
DSL Padres Gold (Lost 4-1 vs DSL Red Sox Blue) (2-4 on the season)
Jose Verdugo – 2-for-4, RBI Single
Moises Valdez – 1-for-4, Triple, Run Scored
Rordy Mejia – 2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 4 K
The Padres Gold scored one run in seven innings, losing by a final of 4-1. Rordy Mejia lasted all of two innings, allowing three runs (two earned). The right-hander struck out four batters, but was let down by two Padres fielding errors. Florangel Vasquez allowed one run of his own in 2.2 innings, with Angel Sanchez tossing the final 1.1 scoreless frames.
Jose Verdugo continues to be the team’s most consistent hitter, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI single. The Mexico native is hitting .467 to start his pro career. Moises Valdez had a leadoff triple in the ballgame, scoring the lone Padres run. Venezuela native Jason Hernandez had a pinch-hit single in the game, but the team was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in the loss. Deivid Coronil reached base once via the walk, and Jhoan De La Cruz was held hitless in the loss.
DSL Padres Brown – Rainout vs DSL Red Sox Red – Makeup on August 19
A born and raised San Diegan, Diego Garcia is a lifetime Padres fan and self-proclaimed baseball nerd. Diego wrote about baseball on his own site between 2021-22 before joining the East Village Times team in 2024. He also posts baseball content on his YouTube channel “Stat Nerd Baseball”, creating content around trades, hypotheticals, player analyses, the San Diego Padres, and MLB as a whole.
A 2024 graduate of San Diego State, Diego aims to grow as a writer and content creator in the baseball community.