3 most surprising takeaways from Padres' opening series of the 2026 season

The San Diego Padres didn't begin the 2026 season with a bang. The Friars took one of three games at home against the Detroit Tigers, scoring seven combined runs. It wasn't exactly the start to a campaign that fans were hoping for, but like always, there was some good to take away from it, as well as one flub.

Randy Vásquez and Ramón Laureano impress in Padres' opening series, Gavin Sheets struggled

Randy Vásquez is...better?

As someone who isn't expected to be the guy, the 27-year-old recorded only three scoreless outings with six-plus innings across 26 starts last year. Well, Vásquez is already a quarter of the way of reaching that mark just one start into his ninth MLB season.

Not only did Vásquez strike out eight batters in his 2026 debut across six scoreless frames, but he did so with an uptick in velocity. He averaged 93.5 MPH on his fastball last year. In his first start this season, Vásquez topped out at 98 MPH and was averaging 95 MPH, all while throwing it more often (29.7%).

He was in the first percentile (?!?!) in whiff rate last year. On Saturday, he logged 13 swings and misses. That is, let's say, a remarkable jump for someone who is famous for pitching to contact. We're not sure if it was adrenaline, Ruben Niebla working his magic on Vásquez, or if he is just a better pitcher now. Either way, we'll take it.

Ramón Laureano's 2025 season was no fluke

In 50 games with San Diego last year, Laureano notched 20 extra-base hits, 30 RBIs, and 49 hits as part of a campaign with an .855 total OPS with the Orioles and the Padres — his best mark in six years.

Luckily for everyone, Laureano still seems to be locked in. In three games against the Tigers, he went 5-for-12 with a home run and a double. That's the type of start that will have fans buying in on Laureano being a consistent producer once again.

Gavin Sheets' Opening Day magic is a thing of the past

Remember that early spark that Gavin Sheets brought in the opening week of the 2025 campaign? It was a heck of a debut for someone who was signed to a minor league deal, cranking a pinch-hit home run on Opening Day as part of a 7-for-15 start to his Friars career.

Fast forward one year and Sheets did not come anywhere close to matching that performance. Batting sixth on Opening Day as the starting first baseman, Sheets threw up a zero at the plate. He went 0-for-8 at the dish in his first three games, striking out three times. Bummer. We wanted to see that Sheets magic shine once again. Maybe in the next series.