Stephen Kolek back against Marlins; Kyle Hart also recalled – San Diego Union-Tribune

MIAMI — Stephen Kolek is on the mound against the Marlins again Tuesday.

The last time he faced them, May 27 at Petco Park, the right-hander allowed six runs.

All in the top of the first inning.

The Marlins grounded six singles through the infield, drove in one run on another grounder, walked once and hit a sacrifice fly.

Kolek threw 38 pitches.

By the end of the game, he was considered one of the heroes in an 8-6 Padres victory.

“He maintained his attitude,” catcher Elias Díaz recalled Tuesday afternoon. “He said. ‘I’m going to do it.’ And he did it.”

Kolek did not leave the game until there was one out in the sixth inning. He had allowed one more hit and walked one more batter while throwing 55 pitches over his final 4 1/3 innings.

The Padres led 7-6.

At the time, Kolek talked about altering his pitch selection and sequencing after the first inning more than executing better.

“We changed the gameplan,” Díaz said Tuesday. “Different attack to every hitter.”

Just four Marlins who started that game are in the lineup for Tuesday’s game (3:40 p.m. PT).

Tuesdays at the Tank

🤝: @PNCBank
📺: @FanDuelSN_FL , @FDSN_Marlins
👂: @MarlinsRadio , @FoxSports940
⏰: 6:40 PM ET
🏟️: Roof status: CLOSED#Marlinsbeisbol // https://t.co/ZrOdIbYDTI pic.twitter.com/ucrPGTtaKP

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 22, 2025

The Padres are facing right-hander Edward Cabrera for the first time this season. He shut them out on four hits over seven innings here in August and threw four scoreless innings against them in a 2022 start at loanDepot Park.

Padres vs. Marlins
Facing RHP Edward Cabrera

Tatis RF
Arraez DH
Machado 3B
Sheets LF
Bogaerts SS
Merrill CF
Cronenworth 1B
Iglesias 2B
Maldonado C

SP: Kolek

— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) July 22, 2025

Kolek, who has a 4.24 ERA in 12 starts in his first season as a major league starter, was sent down July 6. The primary purpose for that move was so he could get some rest. He made just one start in Triple-A, throwing three innings on July 12.

The Padres officially recalled Kolek on Monday.

The team also recalled left-hander Kyle Hart and optioned relievers Alek Jacob and Bryan Hoeing.

Hart began the season in the rotation but will work out of the bullpen.

He made five starts for the Padres at the beginning of the season and one in May. That was against the Marlins, the day after Kolek pitched against them. Hart’s experience was almost the opposite from Kolek’s, as he allowed one run on two hits over the first four innings before surrendering five runs in the fifth inning.

Hart, whose ERA as a starter is 6.66, made a relief appearance for the Padres on July 6, working 3⅔ perfect innings against the Rangers.

Marlins vs. Kolek

Padres vs. Cabrera

Originally Published: July 22, 2025 at 2:02 PM PDT