Technically, Kyle Hart is a 32-year-old rookie. He made his big-league debut in 2020, but he pitched just 11 innings that year, never made it back to the majors with the Red Sox and bounced to the Phillies and then the Mariners before landing in Korea.
There, he won that league’s top pitching award, striking out 182 over 157 innings (2.69 ERA) to pave a quick return to the majors, which becomes officially when Hart climbs the mound at 6:40 p.m. Monday in Game 1 against the Cleveland Guardians.
“I feel confident,” Hart said a day earlier as he awaited Nick Pivetta’s start on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. “I think it’s much easier to feel confident when we’ve won the first three games and just seeing how much energy and focus that we’ve played with. So I’m comfortable with this group, both of these catchers. Kind of done all my homework.”
The Padres went on to win a fourth straight game Sunday, marking just the second time in franchise history that they’ve won four games in a row to start a season.
The 1984 Padres lost an 8-5 decision in 10 innings to the Cubs to extinguish that stretch. What happens to this streak could depend a great deal on Hart, who had a 9.39 ERA over two Cactus League starts, though he had two shutout innings in one game washed away by rain and impressed the staff in his backfield work.
He’ll be looking to protect a 22-inning scoreless streak for the staff, a task that will be that much harder with Guardians’ superstar Jose Ramirez in the lineup.
Ramirez’s right wrist was wrapped as he sat in the visiting clubhouse on Monday afternoon, but he’s in the lineup in the two-hole two days after exiting following an awkward slide.
The Padres’ lineup is back to full strength, too, as Manny Machado returned from his cramping on Sunday and is again in three-hole Monday as the Padres open a three-game series against the defending AL Central Guardians.
Fernando Tatis Jr. remains in the leadoff spot, where he’s been all season and Jackson Merrill remains the preferred clean-up hitter against right-handed pitching as the Padres will see for a fourth straight game on Monday.
First baseman Luis Arraez (0-for-13, BB) and left fielder Jason Heyward (0-for-10) are the only regulars still looking for their first hit.
Monday’s pitching matchup
Guardians RHP Luis L. Ortiz (2025 debut)
The 26-year-old is making his Cleveland debut after arriving in December as part of a three-team deal with the Pirates and Blue Jays. Ortiz had a 3.93 ERA in three seasons in Pittsburgh, a 3.32 ERA over a career-high 135⅔ innings last year and has a 5.74 ERA in three career starts against the Padres. He allowed six runs in 11 innings last year against San Diego.
Here is how he’s fared against current Padres:
Padres LHP Kyle Hart (2025 debut)
He’s returning to the majors for the first time since 2020 after winning the top pitching award in Korea last year, when he struck out 182 over 157 innings (2.69 ERA). The COVID-shortened season relegated schedules to regional play, so Hart has no history with Cleveland or anyone on the Guardians roster.
Originally Published: March 31, 2025 at 4:27 PM PDT
